12 people are dead after a plane crashed off the Caribbean coast following its takeoff in Honduras on Monday.
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CBS News reports that the plane, which Honduran airline Lanha operated, crashed just minutes after it took off from Roatan Island. Fifteen passengers were on the plane, along with two pilots and a flight attendant
Honduras’ transport minister revealed that the plane wreck was discovered less than a mile off the island’s coast. While 12 people were killed in the crash, the six other people onboard the aircraft survived. Garifuna musician Aurelio Martinez Suazo was among those killed in the crash.
The plane’s passengers included a U.S. national, a French national, and two minors. It was scheduled to fly to La Ceiba airport on the Honduran mainland.
Officials Say the Plane “Made a Sharp Turn to the Right of the Runway” Before Falling Into the Water
Meanwhile, Honduras’ civil aviation official, Carlos Padilla, spoke out about the plane crash. He revealed that the aircraft had “made a sharp turn to the right of the runway before it fell into the water.
A fisherman who witnessed the crash shared, “The plane almost fell on us. I was fishing.”
Honduran President Xiomara Castro revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that she had “immediately activated” an emergency committee made up of the armed forces, firefighters, and others to assist the crash victims.
Roatan fire captain Franklin Borjas confirmed that the crash’s survivors were transported to a nearby hospital. However, he then stated adverse conditions complicated the search and rescue efforts.
“It’s been difficult to access the accident [site],” Borjas explained to Reuters. “Because there are 30 meters [98 feet] of rocks, and you can’t get there while walking or swimming. The divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility.”