‘We are living a nightmare’: Hamilton man part of airline crew fearing for their lives after drug arrest in Dominican Republic
A Canadian airline crew is begging Ottawa to bring them home after being forced to stay in the Dominican Republic for more than two months since reporting a cache of drugs aboard their aircraft.
The five-member crew - which includes Hamilton native Aatif Safdar - were arrested April 5 after a flight technician alerted Punta Cana authorities to what turned out to be 210 kilos of cocaine concealed inside their Toronto-bound chartered plane. Seven passengers were also arrested.
In a desperate plea over video Wednesday, the crew, sitting side-by-side with sombre faces, begged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to lobby Dominic officials for their release back to Canada.
We did our jobs by reporting these drugs and saving Canadian lives. Now we need you to do yours," said Cpt. Robert DiVenanzo.
The group has been released on bail but prohibited from leaving the island. They say a Dominican prosecutor's attempts to appeal the court's bail decision could soon see them back behind bars, though, where DiVenanzo said the crew was subject to threats, extortion and inhumane and humiliating" living conditions.
In prison, a dead body was placed outside of our cell and we were told we would be next," he said. We are living a nightmare."
Safdar did not speak in the roughly two-minute video statement. He sat between two crew members, Bal Krishna Dubey and Alexander Rozov.
The licensed pilot was on trial for 15 months in Hamilton along with his brother, Adeel Safdar, a once-renowned McMaster University scientist and their mother, Shaheen Safdar. The three were accused of confining, torturing and abusing Adeel's wife, Dr. Sara Salim, a medical doctor whom he wed in an arranged marriage. They all lived together in Binbrook.
Adeel was found guilty of aggravated assault and is serving four years in prison. Aatif and Shaheen were found not guilty of assault bodily harm, assault with a weapon and threatening death.
Aatif looked straight into the camera as flight attendant Christina Carrelow pleaded the crew's innocence to Trudeau.
We have not been charged and there is no evidence against us," she said. We have been here for over 60 days and have not been questioned, interviewed or interrogated."
Dominican authorities did not respond to questions from The Spectator regarding bail hearing dates and possible charges.
The Dominican National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) previously said it searched the jet after receiving intelligence" about the cocaine.
Pivot Airlines previously said the packages of cocaine were stored in a maintenance compartment" of the CRJ-100 jet and found by a flight technician on a routine pre-flight check. The crew reported the contraband to DR authorities and the RCMP. Had the drugs not been found, Pivot said their weight and proximity to wiring and computer cables could've caused a crash.
The crew was arrested and jailed with suspected drug traffickers who were told they reported the drug haul to authorities, Pivot said, in turn pegging them as rats" and putting them in danger.
While Pivot Airlines has taken every possible precaution, including hiring private security and regularly relocating the crew, it has become clear that additional political intervention in required," Pivot said previously.
The crew's pleas come as Trudeau attends the Summit of the Americas meeting this week in Los Angeles. They are urging the prime minister to meet with Dominican President Luis Abinader to let them leave the island.
The Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday it had no update on the case. Trudeau's itinerary on Wednesday and Thursday did not include a meeting with Abinader.
We know we did the right thing reporting these drugs," said DiVenanzo. No one should have to endure this hell in the Dominican Republic simply for doing their job."
Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com