Aerolinea Lanhsa Flight 018, carrying 15 passengers along with two pilots and a flight attendant, tragically crashed shortly after its departure from the Honduran island of Roatan today.
A British-manufactured Jetstream 41 – a turboprop-powered regional airliner, was heading to the port of La Ceiba on the mainland coast of Honduras when experienced an “apparent mechanical failure” and crashed approximately half a mile from the coastline of the island.
The Fire Department reported that the aircraft went down in a deep section of water, complicating rescue operations.
The runway at Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport, situated by the coast in the southern region of Roatán Island, has seen similar incidents in the past, although none have been of this magnitude.
According to the police, 12 people died in the crash, including the renowned Honduran musician Aurelio Martinez, who was a prominent figure in the Honduran Garifuna community and made history as the Honduras’ first black congressman.
Five people onboard the crashed aircraft were injured, and one is still missing, authorities reported.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro declared the prompt activation of the Emergency Operations Committee, comprising representatives from the Armed Forces, the Fire Department, and various other organizations, all of which have been instrumental in aiding those impacted. On her X account, she stated, “The public hospitals in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba are ready to provide assistance to the passengers.”