TEGUCIGALPA – Seven people were killed when a plane crashed from Honduras’ Caribbean coast on Monday night after taking off from Roatan, authorities said, but 10 people were pulled out of the wreckage.
The jetstream aircraft, run by Honduras Airlines Lancea, had 14 passengers and three crew members, according to the country’s Transport Minister, who said the remains had been found about 0.6 miles from the island’s coast.
According to a flight manifesto shown by local media, passengers included a US, a French citizen and two minors. The plane was scheduled to fly to Rashiva Airport on mainland Honduras.
Roatan Fire Captain Franklin Borjas confirmed the death toll, but both police and firefighters detailed the ongoing rescue operations.
Firefighter said famous Garifna musician Aurelio Martinez Suzo was among the dead.
The dramatic video uploaded to social media by the National Police showed officers and other rescuers transporting survivors to rocky coastlines.
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The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. The airline did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Borjas told Reuters that the survivors were taken to a nearby hospital, but confirmed that a crash had occurred shortly after the plane took off from the island.
Located just off the Honduras coast, Roatan, the Bay Islands’ largest, is a popular tourist attraction and is famous for its lively coral reefs.
Borjas noted that by-production conditions complicated search and rescue and rescue efforts.
“It was difficult to access the accident (site) because there was a 30m (98 feet) rock and I couldn’t get there while walking or swimming,” he said.
“Divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility,” he added.
Joan Humbel Suzor
