The deadly crash involving an Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei last Wednesday has apparently got some sectors of the Caribbean worried. The use of ATRs within the region recently came into question as initial reports reveal that the plane which crashed into a Taiwanese river was as a result of engine failure.TransAsia Airways ATR 72 avoided skyscrapers before crashing into a nearby river. Photo: APLIAT recently upgraded its air fleet with the French-Italian made craft and recently had cause to reassure its customers and concerned persons that the planes are airworthy since the overseers of the flight’s manufacturers have not issued any withdrawal of the airliners.In a public notice by the regional company,NFL Jerseys China, LIAT said, “As one of the operators of the Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) aircraft in the Caribbean, LIAT has received queries from different quarters about the ATR aircraft in the aftermath of the accident.”They said that in addition to the operators in the Caribbean, many airlines around the world operate ATR aircraft with a combined total of more than 5000 flights per day.The airline continued that for 58 years,Wholesale Football Jerseys, the safety of passengers and crew has always been paramount in their plans, “and this continues to be our highest priority.”LIAT pointed out that the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) is the multi-national safety and airworthiness oversight body and the regulator of the manufacturer, ATR. “Both parties, having safety as their paramount concern, will assess the need for any directives to be issued for the world-wide fleet,China Jerseys, if necessary.” To date, they charged, “EASA has not issued any such directive.”The regional company said its own regulator; the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) is guided by any such directive and “LIAT would ensure our immediate compliance in the event of any directive being issued.”The airline’s Management and Staff expressed regret over the recent accident involving the ATR 72-600 aircraft operated by TransAsia Airways. LIAT Board of Directors also expressed its deepest sympathy to the families, friends and all those who were affected by the accident.According to CNN news the death toll from a TransAsia Airways plane crash rose to 40 last Saturday.It is reported that both the plane’s engines lost power shortly after takeoff Wednesday with 58 people on board. There were 15 survivors accounted for, while three bodies were still to be recovered.International media said that authorities reported that the two engines on the ATR 72 turboprop aircraft stopped producing power one after the other,Jerseys NFL China, leaving the plane flying without thrust for more than a minute.Investigators are currently looking into the crew’s actions as to why the second engine was shut off after the first failed. Initial reports say that the pilot may have turned off the wrong engine after the pilot reported an ‘engine flameout’.Aviation Safety Council officials said yesterday that their top priorities are finishing up the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder,Cheap Jerseys, and examining the wreckage, specifically the engines and the cockpit.By February last year, LIAT had six new ATR Aircraft – two ATR-42s,Cheap Jerseys China, each with 48 seats; and four ATR 72s, each with 68 seats as part of their mordernisation program. They promised improvement in service, added comfort and continued safety with their new planes. (Zena Henry)