Canada's Pivot Airlines crew home after eight month ordeal

Five crew members of Canada’s Pivot Airlines have returned to Toronto after they were detained for nearly eight months in the Dominican Republic after discovering and reporting narcotics on their aircraft, the airline confirmed. The two pilots, two flight attendants, and one part-time maintenance engineer arrived to an emotional welcome from family and friends at Toronto Pearson on December 1, 2022, after a Dominican Republic judge on November 11 permitted them to return home. On departing from Punta Cana to Toronto on April 5, 2022, the crew had discovered and reported eight duffel bags with 210 kilogrammes of cocaine stuffed in the avionics bay of CRJ100ER C-FWRR. In doing so, they prevented a possible onboard fire and air disaster resulting from the added weight and unsafe location of the contraband, the airline said. Despite following local and international laws and regulations, they were arrested and spent nine days in prison, reportedly under deplorable conditions. They remained under house arrest since they were released on bail after surrendering their passports pending further investigation. According to their unions, they had faced daily threats to their lives. “The crew demonstrated incredible courage and resilience throughout the harrowing ordeal, which saw them wrongly detained in the Dominican Republic for nearly eight months. While we are relieved for the crew’s long overdue return, we know that this incident has taken a heavy toll on their lives and the lives of their families,” Pivot Airlines said.<br/>