Twelve people have died following a devastating plane crash off the coast of Honduras.
The Lanhsa Airlines Jetstream plane was bound for the mainland when it took off from Roatån, a popular tourist destination in the Caribbean, on Monday night, per the Daily Mail.
According to the Honduran Transport Minister, the plane was carrying 14 passengers and three crew members when it suffered an apparent mechanical failure and spiraled into the water, roughly 0.6 miles from the coast.
Civil aviation official Carlos Padilla described the terrifying final moments: âThe aircraft took off and made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water.â
A local fisherman told HCH television he barely escaped the falling wreckage.
âThe plane almost fell on us. I was fishing,â he recounted.
Out of the 17 people on board, 12 lost their lives, while five were rescued from the wreckage.
Dramatic footage captured the frantic rescue efforts, showing emergency responders searching the waters. One particularly intense clip â described as a rescue operation â showed a woman being pulled from the sea on a stretcher.
Authorities have not provided an update on her condition.
Rescue efforts have been difficult due to treacherous underwater conditions.
âItâs been difficult to access the accident (site) because there are 30 meters (98 feet) of rocks, and you canât get there while walking or swimming,â said RoatĂĄn Fire Captain Franklin Borjas, per CBS.
âThe divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility.â
By Monday night, officials confirmed there was only one body left to recover.
Among those killed was Aurelio MartĂnez, a beloved Honduran musician and politician known for his contributions to Garifuna music.
MartĂnez, 56, was a pioneer of the Garifuna music movement â a unique Afro-Indigenous genre originating from St. Vincent. His group, Lita Arrian, was one of the first to achieve international recognition, according to the Kennedy Center.
Beyond his music career, MartĂnez also served as a representative in the Honduran National Congress.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Belize paid tribute to his legacy, stating: âAurelio was a great friend of Belize and a true champion of Garifuna culture and music.
âHis passing leaves a void in the world of music and culture, but his legacy will live on in the hearts of all who loved his art and his people.â
According to a flight manifest obtained by local media, passengers on board included a U.S. national, a French national, and two minors.
A 40-year-old French citizen was among the injured survivors and was transferred to a hospital in San Pedro Sula on the mainland for treatment.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the loss of an American citizen, issuing the following statement: âWe extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected.
âWe can confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in the plane crash. Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment at this time.â
Shortly after the crash, Honduran President Xiomara Castro issued a statement confirming she had âimmediately activatedâ an Emergency Operations Committee, which includes multiple government agencies working together to assess the situation and assist with rescue and recovery efforts.
RoatĂĄn, the largest of the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast, is a well-known tourist hotspot famous for its pristine beaches and coral reefs. The tragic crash is a blow to the region, which relies heavily on tourism.
