Twelve people were killed in a tragic plane crash off the coast of Roatán Island, Honduras, including renowned Garifuna musician Aurelio Martínez. The Lanhsa Airlines flight went down shortly after takeoff on Monday, carrying three crew members and fourteen passengers. National police confirmed that the victims included two children, a French citizen, and a U.S. national.
The aircraft had been headed for La Ceiba on the Honduran mainland. Police and fire officials described challenging rescue conditions as teams worked through the night. Photos showed emergency crews retrieving bodies from the sea by torchlight as rough weather complicated efforts.
Roatán, the largest of the Bay Islands, is a popular tourist destination known for its coral reefs. Fire chief Franklin Borjas said poor weather had slowed progress, and officials were still searching for the final missing victim. Rescue teams from multiple agencies remained active at the crash site, located about one kilometer from Roatán International Airport.
President Xiomara Castro announced that she had activated the Emergency Operations Committee, involving the Fire Department, Armed Forces, National Police, Red Cross, 911, Health Ministry, and SAN. She said injured passengers were being transferred to hospitals in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba, adding: “They are working nonstop to assist with this tragic incident. May God protect people’s lives.”
