On the evening of March 17th, a small passenger plane carrying over ten people crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Roatan Island in northern Honduras. The incident has resulted in at least 7 fatalities.
According to media reports, the Jetstream 41 aircraft, operated by the Honduran company Lanhsa, took off from Roatan Island Airport in the Caribbean Sea on Monday evening, with its intended destination being La Ceiba airport on the north coast. However, the plane lost control and crashed into the sea a few minutes after takeoff.
The Honduran Department of Transportation stated that the plane crashed about 1 kilometer off the coast of Roatan Island.
Local Fire Chief Franklin Borjas confirmed that 10 individuals were rescued from the crash site, with 6 of them pronounced dead at the hospital and 4 others sustaining severe injuries.
Subsequently, the body of a crew member was found floating on the nearby sea surface.
Borjas mentioned that ongoing efforts are being made to search for other missing passengers, but due to the plane sinking into the sea, rescue operations are facing significant challenges. He noted, “Entering the accident site is difficult, with zero visibility underwater.”
There have been conflicting reports about the number of people on board, with local officials stating either 17 or 18 individuals.
According to the flight manifest released by local media, the passengers onboard included an American, a French national, and two minors.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro declared that she has “immediately activated” an emergency action committee composed of the armed forces, fire department, emergency committee, national police, and other agencies to assist in conducting search and rescue operations at the crash site.
Local authorities stated in a press release that the UK-made Jetstream 41 aircraft crashed due to “evident mechanical failure.”
The incident is currently under further investigation.