By Admin. Updated 8:18 p.m., Monday, June 15, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Disaster Management and Immigration, St Clair Leacock, says regional and international security agencies know the whereabouts of the aircraft that was reported missing after departing Argyle International Airport on 12 June.
However, Leacock stressed that he is unable to disclose further details at this stage because of ongoing investigations involving local, regional and international law enforcement and security agencies.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with SVGTV on Monday, the National Security Minister sought to reassure the public while indicating that authorities have made significant progress since the aircraft’s disappearance was first reported.
“I know that there is information that’s at hand within the law and order forces, national security, international security, that they know where that aircraft is,” Leacock said.
He added that available information suggests there has been no loss of life.
“That means that no lives have been lost and the agencies are proceeding in their own security intelligence gathering ways to maximise the outcomes that should be had in a situation like this,” he said.
Leacock explained that after receiving reports about the aircraft, he requested an update from Commissioner of Police Enville Williams, who subsequently engaged regional and international counterparts as part of the investigation.
“Quite naturally, as the Minister of National Security, having received those reports, I enquired of my own Commissioner of Police and asked for an update and report on the matter,” he said.
According to Leacock, the matter was pursued through regional security networks, including the Regional Security System (RSS) and CARICOM’s security architecture.
He noted that enquiries would also have extended to international agencies, including Interpol and relevant United States authorities.
“We know where it is, so I’m giving you that much,” Leacock said.
“I’m not declaring that out of public, private and national security safety interests what has come out of this incident, because I think there’s a sufficient amount of information at the hands of the international, regional and national agencies that a proper statement will be made in the fullness of time.”
Leacock’s comments came hours after the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development issued a statement confirming details of the aircraft’s final known flight.
The ministry said the Dominican Republic-registered Beechcraft Baron B58T, registration HI1145, departed Argyle International Airport at 11:52 a.m. on 12 June bound for A.N.R. Robinson International Airport in Tobago.
The aircraft, carrying two people, had filed an estimated flight time of one hour and five minutes.
According to the ministry, the aircraft maintained normal radio communications with Air Traffic Control at Argyle after take-off.
Communication responsibilities were later transferred when the aircraft reached a position approximately 40 nautical miles south of Argyle International Airport near the southern boundary of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ controlled airspace.
Radio contact was subsequently lost and the aircraft failed to arrive at its intended destination, prompting aviation authorities to issue an alert and initiate a distress phase that triggered search and rescue operations.
Meanwhile, online flight-tracking records reviewed by One News SVG show that an aircraft identified by Flightradar24 as a privately operated Beech 58P Pressurised Baron registered in the Dominican Republic arrived in Kingstown from Canouan on 12 June before later departing Argyle International Airport.
Publicly available tracking data reviewed by One News SVG did not record a destination for that departure and listed the flight’s status as “Unknown” after it left Kingstown.
Flight history records also indicate that the aircraft conducted several flights between Kingstown and Canouan in the days leading up to 12 June.
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One News SVG 