Advertisement

AirScan to Command

Crew describes the situation on the ground.

Share
The Scene:
The military operations were conducted from Room G, a specially equipped room inside an oil complex operated by Occidental Petroleum in the province of Arauca in northeastern Colombia. Santo Domingo lies about 30 miles south of the oil complex, called Caño Limon. In this segment, the AirScan plane talks with commanders at the base to describe the situation on the ground.

The Actors:
Gavilan (Sparrowhawk): Cessna Skymaster piloted by Barbaro Jose Orta with Maj. Cesar Gomez and Charles Denny on board. Gomez is link between Skymaster and other Colombian Air Force planes. Denny is crewmember controlling video camera.Enlace (Link): Radio link between commanders at Caño Limon and the AirScan plane.

12:44:17
Gomez: Go ahead Enlace, this is Gavilan, I hear you loud and clear.
Enlace: I need you please to be over this point to verify that these troops are changing into civilian clothes and getting on trucks and shooting. I need you to look at where they're going.
Gomez: We transmitted that information and a little while ago we noted that they moved, that they are moving toward the west. Thus, our suggestion is that we put the troops toward the west, but all the people that can be seen are civilians, a lot of civilians can be seen moving.
Enlace: They are moving, you are telling me, west of the coordinates?
Gomez: Affirmative, there's a road that goes toward the west. We have checked all the cars and we have noted this situation here, too. We have noted this situation as well.
Enlace: You have noted this to 18? (The 18th Brigade, the local army unit)
Orta: Okay, let's go back towards the trucks.
Gomez: Again?
Enlace: Gavilan, to whom have you given this information?
Gomez: I have told the troops here and we have all talked with the rest of the airplanes about this situation, but if we don't see any weapons, we can't shoot at them, I believe.
12:45:42
Advertisement