Police has foiled an attempt to transport 11 illegals from Teuge (NL) via a Belgian airport to the U.K.

[Passenger]

Press release from the Netherlands (Openbaar Ministerie - OM - the Public Prosecutor's office): the Dutch Police has foiled an attempt to transport 11 illegals from Teuge (NL) via a Belgian airport to the U.K.

https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsbericht ... houdingen/


photo OM - Dutch Justice

photo OM - Dutch Justice

[luchtzak]

Press release from the Netherlands (Openbaar Ministerie - OM - the Public Prosecutor's office): the Dutch Police has foiled an attempt to transport 11 illegals from Teuge (NL) via a Belgian airport to the U.K.

https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsbericht ... houdingen/

Thanks for the news passenger! I wrote an English article: https://www.aviation24.be/airports/teuge-a ... y-england/

1 remark: it's not known that the 11 Albanians are illegal.

3 questions are still open for me:

how about the weight of 13 passengers (5 extra) on board that aircraft, that seems dangerous!
which aircraft has been used?
which airport was scheduled to depart from (Belgian airport)

[stratofreighter]

Press release from the Netherlands (Openbaar Ministerie - OM - the Public Prosecutor's office): the Dutch Police has foiled an attempt to transport 11 illegals from Teuge (NL) via a Belgian airport to the U.K.

https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsbericht ... houdingen/

Thanks for the news passenger! I wrote an English article: https://www.aviation24.be/airports/teuge-a ... y-england/

1 remark: it's not known that the 11 Albanians are illegal.

3 questions are still open for me:

how about the weight of 13 passengers (5 extra) on board that aircraft, that seems dangerous!
which aircraft has been used?
which airport was scheduled to depart from (Belgian airport)

This is the Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain involved:
http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=132756

[luchtzak]

This is the Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain involved:
http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=132756

Ah! Thanks!! 2 more questions

[jan_olieslagers]

More questions:
4) did they file a flight plan from NL to BE?
5) did they file a flight plan from BE to UK?
6) did they file a GAR form for entering the UK?

The answer to 6) should be obvious, for 4) and 5) we have a resident authority, I think ?

[luchtzak]

Funny quote an airliners.net:

According to the CAA website, G-OETV is registered to these people.

http://www.aba.aero/our-fleet.html

The claim on their website seems correct:

Jonathan M. Gordon, Managing Director: Whatever your aviation needs, my team and I stand ready to provide you with our best attention at all times.

They were wise enough to not specifically mention illegal needs got their best attention as well.

[jan_olieslagers]

Just a sidethought: the extra landing in Belgium would normally not be needed for this plane. It might indicate they were flying with the absolute minimal quantity of fuel on board so as to have a maximum "payload" capacity. But if so, the BE aerodrome had to be one with an AvGas pump, and as near as possible to the UK... Faites vos jeux! Bets are open!

[luchtzak]

Just a sidethought: the extra landing in Belgium would normally not be needed for this plane. It might indicate they were flying with the absolute minimal quantity of fuel on board so as to have a maximum "payload" capacity. But if so, the BE aerodrome had to be one with an AvGas pump, and as near as possible to the UK... Faites vos jeux! Bets are open!

Above maximum payload as 13 adults and 3 children on board, capacity 8 pax!

[jan_olieslagers]

Do not confuse capacity as measured in "number of seats" with payload capacity as "difference between empty weight and maximum take-off weight". Factors like fuel and luggage neatly complicate matters even more.

* 2 crew @ (say) 85 kgs plus their equipment and personal luggage - (say) 200 kgs
* 6 "average" obese US'ans and their luggage
would be flyable

where
* 1 crew with minimal ancillaries
* 11 frugal adults and 3 even more frugal children
would not be flyable?

Which will be heavier? I know it sounds harsh but figures don't lie. Plus all involved aerodromes are at sea level so margins can be taken a bit further. Even if the plane was not operated with the expected scruple for legality, it may have been flown within a technically acceptable weight and balance envelope.

[Passenger]

1 remark: it's not known that the 11 Albanians are illegal.

Indeed. Correct remark. They were probably not illegal in the Netherlands, as Albanians are allowed to stay in NL for 90 days (of 180 days in total in a Schengen country).
Source: Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requ ... n_citizens

However, the press release from the Dutch Public Prosecutor mentions "mensensmokkel" - human smuggling - suggesting they had no visa to enter the U.K.
See main source for this topic:
https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsbericht ... houdingen/

[Passenger]

which airport was scheduled to depart from (Belgian airport)?

The answer is : Malle (Oostmalle-Zoersel) - http://www.ebzr.be

Source: newspaper GVA.be and ATV, referring to a statement by the Belgian Police:
http://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20170802_02998 ... -smokkelen