PORT OF SPAIN, May 16, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A Ukrainian plane carrying explosives bound for Libya was temporarily grounded in Trinidad and Tobago before being cleared to depart, local authorities announced on Friday.

The plane, coming from the Bahamas, landed Thursday at Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain to refuel and was then due to fly on to Libya via Cape Verde, raising police suspicions.

"Upon the aircraft's arrival, officers of the Immigration Division discovered that the aircraft was transporting explosives which had not been declared in accordance with established international aviation and security protocols," according to a statement from the Airports Authority Tinidad and Tobago (AATT).

"It was determined that no liability should be attributed to the pilot or crew," the AATT said. "Consequently, authorization was granted and the aircraft and crew were cleared to depart Trinidad and Tobago."

Famous for its carnival and beaches, Trinidad and Tobago, a small English-speaking archipelago located about ten kilometers off the Venezuelan coast, is known as a hub for drug trafficking.

Since 2021, the country has declared a state of emergency four times because of crime.