At least twelve people, including US citizens, were killed when a small plane crashed into the Caribbean Sea.
Shortly after taking off, the aircraft “made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water,” according to civil aviation official Carlos Padilla, and crashed off the coast of Roatan Island.
According to a fisherman who saw the crash, he escaped being hit by the plane as it plunged into the ocean.
One body was left to be recovered after rescue workers searched the waters.
At least 7 people died, after a plane crashed (#PlaneCrash) into water, just off the Caribbean coast of #Honduras on Monday night minutes after taking off from #Roatan Island.
Around 10 people were pulled out from the Wreckage alive.
The Jetstream Aircraft… pic.twitter.com/0fH7z7nXUp
— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) March 18, 2025
According to the Daily Mail, Roatan Fire captain Franklin Borjas stated, “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.”
“There is no visibility for the divers assisting with the rescue.”
President Xiomara Castro of Honduras said in a statement that she has quickly established an Emergency Operations Committee, bringing various agencies together.
The nation’s transport ministry reports that 14 people, including crew members, were on board.
Aurelio Martínez, a politician and musician from Honduras, was among those killed.
In the Afro-Indigenous Garífuna music scene, which has roots in St. Vincent, Martínez was a well-known voice.
Martínez was honored by Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, which described him as a “great friend of Belize and a true champion of Garífuna culture and music.”
Belize joins Honduras in mourning the passing of Aurelio Martínez Sauzo, one of six victims who perished in a plane crash near Roatán, Honduras.
Aurelio was a great friend of Belize and a true champion of Garífuna culture and music. As a renowned Garífuna musician, Aurelio was… pic.twitter.com/ST85A1n6P6
— Belize MFAFT 🇧🇿 (@MFABelize) March 18, 2025
“His legacy will endure in the hearts of all who loved his art and his people, but his passing leaves a void in the world of music and culture.”
According to reports, a mechanical failure caused the plane to crash.
The State Department sent their condolences to the family after confirming the death of an American citizen.
