At least 12 people have died after a plane operated by Honduran airline Lanhsa crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Roatán Island on Monday evening. The aircraft, a Jetstream 32, went down within a minute of departing Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport, bound for Golosón International Airport in La Ceiba.
Five survivors were rescued, while one person remains missing. Honduran authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, with early reports ruling out weather as a factor.
Rescue Efforts and Emergency Response
Following the crash, Honduran President Xiomara Castro activated the country’s emergency committee, mobilizing military, police, fire department, Red Cross, and Ministry of Health teams. Rescue operations continued into the night, with videos on social media showing teams working along a rocky coastline using small boats and stretchers.
Survivors with injuries were airlifted to a hospital in San Pedro Sula, according to the Honduran armed forces. The government expressed its condolences, stating, “The Government of Honduras deeply regrets the tragic accident in Roatán and joins in the national mourning.”
Among the victims was Aurelio Martinez Suazo, a renowned Honduran musician and member of the Garifuna community, known for its distinct Afro-Caribbean musical traditions. Suazo’s death has added to the national grief, as the country mourns the loss of a cultural icon.
The identities of the other victims have not yet been released, but the tragedy has deeply affected the local community and the nation as a whole.
Investigation into the Air Crash Begins
The Honduran Civil Aeronautics Agency is investigating the cause of the crash. Carlos Padilla, a civil aviation official, told AFP that the plane “made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water.”
Roatán’s mayor confirmed that weather conditions were normal at the time of the incident, suggesting that mechanical failure or human error may have played a role. The investigation is ongoing, with officials working to determine the exact cause.
Meanwhile, President Xiomara Castro took to social media to express her condolences and assure the public that emergency teams were “working tirelessly” to provide assistance. “May God protect people’s lives,” she wrote on X.
The Honduran government has pledged its full support to the families of the victims and survivors, emphasizing solidarity during this difficult time.
