Twelve people have sadly died including a famous singer following a plane crash off the coast of Honduras.
The Lanhsa Airlines Jetstream plane was scheduled for the mainland when it departed from Roatán on Monday 17 March.
The aircraft was carrying 14 passengers and three crew when it was hit with a mechanical failure and sadly landed in the ater, around 0.6 miles from the coast.
Civil aviation official Carlos Padilla said: “The aircraft took off and made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water.”
A local fisherman spoke to HCH television and explained that he barely escaped the wreck: “The plane almost fell on us. I was fishing,” he said.
Sadly, of the 17 people, 12 people died and 5 were rescued from the wreck.
Roatán Fire Captain Franklin Borjas said: “It’s been difficult to access the accident (site) 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.”
Among those that were killed was a loved Honduran musician and politician, Aurelio Martínez.
The 56-year-old was a leader in the Garífuna music movement – an Afro-Indigenous genre that started in St Vincent. He was also a representative in the Honduran National Congress.
Upon hearing the news, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Belize said: “Aurelio was a great friend of Belize and a true champion of Garífuna culture and music.
“His 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.”
As well as Martínez, there was also other passengers on board including a US citizen, a French national citizen and two minors.
The U.S. State Department shared: “We 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.”