Pubdate: Tue, 24 Apr 2001 Source: Chattanooga Times & Free Press (TN) Copyright: 2001 Chattanooga Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.timesfreepress.com/index.html Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/992 TRAGEDY IN PERU Missionaries in many places in South America must rely upon small aircraft that land on rivers and unpaved runways as they minister to the people in otherwise impenetrable jungles. Providing a sharp contrast, drug dealers making millions of dollars through illicit traffic with foolish Americans use aircraft to transport their wares. Sometimes it is difficult in flight to determine the difference, as a horrible incident in Peru has fatally demonstrated. A small pontoon aircraft was carrying Baptist missionaries on an accustomed route a few days ago when it encountered a drug-monitoring aircraft under contract to the U.S. CIA. The monitor called the missionary plane to the attention of Peruvian military pilots. The missionaries said they had filed a flight plan, as was customary. They said they tried to make radio contact with the other aircraft. The CIA monitor reportedly urged the Peruvians not to attack without certainty that drugs were involved. The Peruvians claimed there was no flight plan or radio contact. They fired with terrible results. One bullet killed missionary wife Roni Bowers and her infant daughter, Charity, in her lap. Wounded pilot Kevin Donaldson miraculously brought the aircraft to a capsizing landing in a river. Missionary Jim Bowers and his 6-year-old son, Cory, escaped uninjured. It was a terrible tragedy as missionaries doing good were mistaken for drug dealers doing evil. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D