The Ministry of Transport in Guyana says it has suspended an air traffic controller who walked off the job and left the tower unattended while a flight was approaching the South American country.
A statement issued by the ministry says the controller and two other staff members have been suspended pending an investigation.
A spokesman said Tuesday that the other two staff members who were suspended were a supervisor and a co-worker who had been scheduled to relieve the controller.
The controller walked off the job apparently out of frustration that his co-worker did not show up to relieve him Friday. At the time, a Caribbean Airways Boeing 737 with about 100 people on board was 10 minutes from landing. A manager went to the tower and took over.