St. MArtin: Police now investigating several robbery cases
PHILIPSBURG – Over the weekend of May 8th through May 10th, 5 armed robberies have been reported to the Special Robbery Unit.
The first was on Friday May 8th two men with initials M.X and F.P. both from the island of Dominica and staying on board of a cargo boat presently on the island stated that on that same morning at approximately 12.50 a.m. they were both attacked and robbed of their belongings by two unknown men outside of “Le Petit Chateau” on the Soualiga road.
One of the suspects was armed with a handgun and threatened to use it The victims were punched several times in their face and body by the attackers.
The victim M.X. took off running in the direction of the police station and tried to get away from the attackers but he was caught. Both victims were severely beaten and left behind. Their personal belongings were also taken away from them.
Then on Saturday May 9th the man with initials G.H. filed a reports stating that he was robbed of his wallet. He stated that on that same day at approximately 01.00 a.m. after having some drinks with some friends, he took a taxi to Caines drive in Dutch Quarter.
While walking through Caines drive he was suddenly approached by an unknown man who asked him for a dollar. The victim told the suspect that he had no money. The suspect then pulled out a knife and threatened to use it.
The suspect pulled the victims wallet away from him and took out the money that was in it. He also searched the victims pocket and took his cellphone away from him. The suspect then fled the scene.
On Saturday May 9th the lady with the initials X.P.C. filed an official report stating that on that same evening at approximately 09.30 p.m. after just arriving at her home in the Cole Bay area, with her family,she was attacked by two unknown armed men who were hiding in the dark.
These suspects fired several shots when the victim was attacked. The victim threw her bag over the fence into the neighbors yard to avoid any further confrontation with the suspects.
Both suspects then fled the scene taking the bag of the victim along with them. The bag contained some cash, cellular telephones, a passport I-d card and other personal belongings.
On Sunday May 10th the detectives of the Special Robbery Unit was directed to the parking lot of Border bar in Oyster pond in connection with an armed robbery.
On the scene the detectives spoke to the victims with the initials C.M.M.L. and M.D.F.P, both from Portugal. Both victims stated that they were attacked by two unknown armed men, as they were to enter their rental car.
At least two shots were fired by the suspects before being robbed of their money and other personal belongings. The robbers also too the keys to their car and took off with it.
On Sunday May 10th the lady with initials S.M.Y.K. filed an official report stating that on that same evening at approximately 11.55 p.m. while walking on the Board Walk from Lizzy’s Place to Sea Palace, she was attacked by an unknown man, who struck her with a hard object to the back of her head.
The suspect then took her waist bag (pouch) and ran away with the contents. The bag contain a small amount of cash and other personal belongings.
All of these cases are under investigation by the Special Robbery Unit.
Traffic Report
Over the weekend there were at least 9 reported traffic accidents the were handled by the Police traffic Dept. One of these accidents included a driver that was under the influence of alcohol. Three persons were slightly injured during the accident. These traffic accidents are under investigation by the Police traffic dept.
Just in Time for Summer Vacation: Curaçao Offers $200 Per Person Airfare Rebate, a Free Night’s Hotel Stay
WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Already offering a wealth of savings, the island of Curaçao, the Caribbean’s Hidden Treasure, is making it more cost-effective than ever to travel to the island this summer! By booking travel via the island’s popular Curaçao Now promotion, travelers will now receive an additional $100 per person airfare rebate, a free night during their five night vacation, plus other value-added savings. The deals could not come at a better time as North American travelers gear up for their anticipated summer vacations. But they must book soon in order to enjoy these incredible rates and free offers.
Travelers must book by July 15, 2009 to receive all of these Curaçao Now deals:
* $200 per person credit on airline tickets
* Free night at the 17 participating hotels
* $140 food & beverage credit
* A free dive day
* A free car rental day
* Discounted admission to Curaçao’s many museums
* Half price attractions, tours and transfers
* High value shopping discounts in downtown Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital
Curaçao Now is valid for U.S. and Canadian residents for travel between May 1 to July 1, 2009 and August 15 to December 15, 2009. To book your vacation and learn more about Curaçao Now visit www.curacao.com/now. Visitors can also book through their preferred travel agents.
“Curaçao Now offers consumers the perfect opportunity to travel to our beautiful island at a price point they can afford. It is the ideal travel package for consumers across all categories: Friends, families and couples,” says Brenda Benjamin, Director of Marketing, Curaçao Tourism Board.
About Curaçao
With its pristine dive sites, secluded beaches, championship golf and rich local cuisine, Curaçao offers a little something for everyone – from the adventure traveler to those who simply want to unwind (and enjoy its perfect climate). Curaçao boasts an eclectic mix of history and culture, welcoming visitors to this unique island paradise.
Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino Announces Premiere of The Aqua Spa
Special $199 per night opening rate is available through May 31, 2009
NEW YORK, May 6 /PRNewswire/ — The Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino, the newest full-service, branded resort to open on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao in more than 15 years, has officially opened its luxurious Aqua Spa facility.
The Aqua Spa is an 8,300 square-foot health and wellness center spanning three floors of the resort, which is located on Willemstad’s picturesque historic waterfront and connected to the legendary Rif Fort, a 19th century landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site. The Aqua Spa features a roof top relaxation area and an infinity pool hot tub overlooking the ocean and passing cruise ships.
The Aqua Spa utilizes unique Dutch Caribbean rituals which focus on healing through water, and are based on fundamental traditions of the Curacao’s natives. The spa offers nine treatment rooms, a rain-like Vichy shower, four relaxation terraces, a sauna with ocean views, a cold plunge pool, as well as a rich and varied menu of massages, facials, manicure, pedicure and hair treatments in a state-of-the-art salon. Other stand-out Aqua Spa features include signature wraps and mud treatments, tailored packages and bridal services.
Vacationers can experience the newly opened Aqua Spa in addition to all the Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino features while also saving 40 percent off regular room rates by booking the resort’s special $199 premier rate. Perfect for a last-minute getaway, the rate is available through May 31, 2009 and is based on availability; taxes are not included.
Additional Resort Features
The Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino has 237 guestrooms, including 14 premium suites, a fitness center, a 15,000-square-foot Carnaval Casino, and a white sand “Eternity Beach” which sits above sea level. The “Eternity Beach” is located adjacent to the resort’s freshwater infinity pool; both offering spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea. Additionally, the Renaissance Mall, the resort’s open-air shopping, dining and entertainment complex, boasts a six-theatre cinema, 50 upscale shops and additional restaurants, lounges and bars. For more information or reservations call (888) 778-4722 or visit www.renaissancecuracao.com.
About Renaissance Hotels & Resorts:
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts is an upscale brand providing full-service accommodations with local flair to discriminating business and leisure travelers at more than 140 properties in 28 countries. The brand’s presence is strong in the U.S. and worldwide, with approximately half of its properties in North America and half throughout Europe, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia. For more information about Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.revealrenaissance.com.
Power Outage Shuts Down PDVSA’s Willemstad Isla Refinery
Venezuela’s state-owned PDVSA shut down all of its processing units at the 325,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Willemstad Isla refinery in Curacao because of an unexpected power outage on April 27.
Power and air were restored to the plant within 24 hours, and steam production resumed on April 29. The 160,000-BBL/d Crude 3 and 48,000-BBL/d Feed Cracker 2 are expected to be restarted during the day, followed by all of the other units over the weekend and early next week.
On April 24, the 52,000-BBL/d fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) was shut down because of steam-related issues. Plant authorities said they considered accelerating the September 2009 turnaround and maintenance repairs on the FCCU and 48,000-BBL/d Feed Cracker 1; however, they decided to perform only necessary immediate repairs on both units to have them online by May 6. The 40-day maintenance turnaround is being rescheduled and could be postponed until the first quarter of 2010.
The refinery experienced four power outages in 2008. The first one occurred on April 9 as several units from the hydrotreatment operation area were reaching normal production rates after a 50-day planned maintenance shutdown.
Source: Industrialinfo
Incident: KLM B744 at Curacao on Apr 30th 2009, fire in cabin
A KLM Boeing 747-400, registration PH-BFL performing flight KL-785 from Curacao (Netherlands Antilles) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) with 399 passengers, returned to Curacao when a fire was observed in the cabin. The airplane landed safely.
Passengers reported, that there was a fire in the internal wiring near the TV screen in the lower deck around seat row 51, flares were visible behind the overhead panels. The flight attendants used fire extinguishers and managed to quickly stop the fire.
A passenger – wanting to remain unnamed – told The Aviation Herald in a detailed report, that there was a strong diesel-like smell from the air conditioning while at the gate and thought, that service vehicles underneath the aircraft might be the cause of this. About 20 minutes into the flight the passenger noticed other people sitting ahead to look back towards the left side of the airplane near the first emergency exit behind the wing (editor’s note: row 51) and now saw about 5 overhead bins had been opened, a light haze appeared. A few minutes later flight attendants arrived with several small fire extinguishers. At that point a smell like candles arrived at the passenger’s seat. The captain requested all cabin crew to meet immediately at the purser’s station, then an announcement followed, that the airplane would return to Curacao due to a technical problem. The brace position was demonstrated and exercised, the emergency procedures were reiterated again. After the landing gear came down, at low altitude, the captain commanded “Brace for impact”, repeated by flight attendants. The airplane touched down very fast, not as hard as expected. The airplane slowed down and stopped, at which point the passengers broke into applause. The airplane taxied to the gate arriving there about 15 minutes later and the passengers disembarked. The flight was eventually cancelled, the passengers were shuttled to hotels and fell into bed around 4-7am. The passenger heard from sources at the airport, that an inboard light had shortened out and caused a fire, which was extinguished by cabin crew.
A replacement Boeing 747-400 registration PH-BFG was dispatched to Curacao as flight KL-7421 on May 1st and delivered the passengers to Amsterdam in the morning of May 3rd with a total delay of 48 hours.
A statement by KLM, promised for this Monday, has not yet reached The Aviation Herald.
Source: avherald.com