Honduras Plane Crash Leaves 12 Dead After Take Off

A tragic plane crash off the coast of Honduras has claimed the lives of 12 people, including renowned musician and politician Aurelio Martinez Suazo, when a small aircraft plunged into the Caribbean Sea shortly after takeoff from Roatan Island on Monday evening.

Rescue operations were facilitated at the scene. (Honduran Police - AFP via Getty)

The Jetstream 32 aircraft, operated by Honduran airline Lanhsa, was carrying 17 people - 15 passengers and two crew members - when it departed from Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport at approximately 6:18 PM local time. The flight was bound for La Ceiba, a city on Honduras' northern coast.

According to Carlos Padilla, a civil aviation authority official, the plane "executed a sudden right turn off the runway and subsequently plunged into the sea" just moments after becoming airborne. The wreckage was discovered about one kilometer (0.6 miles) off the island's coast.

Rescue efforts were immediately launched, with emergency services facing challenging conditions. Roatan fire captain Franklin Borjas described the difficulties: "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. The divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility".

Dramatic footage released by the national police showed rescue workers forming a human chain to carry survivors from the rocky coastline to safety. In total, five people were rescued alive and transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Among the passengers were a U.S. national, a French citizen, and two minors. The loss of Aurelio Martinez Suazo, a well-known Garifuna musician and former member of the National Congress of Honduras, has been particularly felt by the nation.

In response to the tragedy, Honduran President Xiomara Castro activated an Emergency Operations Committee, mobilizing various emergency services including the military, police, fire brigade, Red Cross, and the Ministry of Health. Hospitals in Pedro S and Laiba were prepared to receive and treat injured passengers.

As investigations into the cause of the crash begin, the nation mourns the loss of life in this devastating incident. The Honduran government has expressed its "profound sorrow" and declared a period of national mourning