Among the 12 people killed in a plane crash off the Caribbean was Aurelio Martinez, a famous Honduran musician.
Plane carrying famous artist crashes into sea, at least 12 people dead
Among the 12 people killed in a plane crash off the Caribbean was Aurelio Martinez, a famous Honduran musician.
Rescue operations at sea after a plane carrying 17 people crashed off the coast of Honduras on the night of March 17. Video: NY Post
On the night of March 17 (local time), Aerolinea Lanhsa flight 018 encountered a technical problem and crashed into the sea, about 800 meters from the shore of Roatan Island, Honduras. The plane crashed while en route from Roatan to the mainland port of La Ceiba.
“The plane suddenly veered off the runway and crashed into the water,” said Carlos Padilla, a Honduran aviation official. “The plane almost hit us. I was fishing at the time,” a fisherman who witnessed the incident told HCH television.
Rescuers take survivors to hospital by helicopter. Photo: AFP
According to police, the plane was carrying 17 people, including 14 passengers and 3 crew members. Rescuers rescued 5 people. The victims were taken ashore on stretchers and taken directly to hospitals in the area.
Meanwhile, 12 people have been confirmed dead, but one body has yet to be found. Among the dead, authorities have confirmed that Aurelio Martinez, 55, was one of Central America’s most talented artists, who rose to fame during the 1990s. He was also Honduras’ first black congressman, serving in government from 2006 to 2010.
Artist Aurelio Martinez before he died in a plane crash. Photo: NY Post
Honduran President Xiomara Castro de Zelaya said she “immediately mobilized” rescue workers and the Red Cross to the scene when she heard about the accident. Xiomara prayed: “May God protect everyone’s lives.”
Rescue workers worked through the night on the beach after the plane crash. Photo: Reuters
Honduras is a country in Central America with an area of over 112,000 km2 and an estimated population of 9.1 million (according to 2019 data). Honduras is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south across the Gulf of Fonseca. It is one of the poorest countries in the Americas, with high unemployment and many people living below the poverty line.
