At least 12 people have died after a small passenger plane crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Roatan Island on Monday night, Honduran authorities confirmed.
Five people survived the crash, while one person remains missing.
The aircraft, operated by Honduran airline Lanhsa, plunged into the water approximately one kilometre (0.6 miles) off the island’s Caribbean coast, according to the country’s transport minister.
“At approximately 9 a.m. the recovery of the last victim of the accident will continue,” Honduras’ firefighters’ corps said on social media early on Tuesday. “We expect better weather and visibility.”
The flight manifest, as reported by local media, listed a U.S. national, a French national and two minors among the passengers. The aircraft had been en route to La Ceiba airport on the Honduran mainland.
Authorities confirmed that among the deceased was renowned Garifuna musician Aurelio Martinez Suazo.
Footage shared on social media by the national police captured the dramatic aftermath, showing officers and rescue teams lifting survivors onto a rocky coastline. Some were seen on stretchers as a boat illuminated the area during the night-time operation.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and the airline has not issued any official response.
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Roatan fire captain Franklin Borjas told Reuters that the crash occurred shortly after takeoff and said survivors had been taken to a nearby hospital. He also described the challenges rescue teams faced in reaching the wreckage.
“It’s been difficult to access the accident (site) because there are 30 meters (98 ft) of rocks and you can’t get there while walking or swimming,” he said on Monday night.
“The divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility,” he added.
Roatan, the largest of Honduras’ Bay Islands, is a well-known tourist destination, famed for its coral reefs and marine attractions.
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