Plane Crashes Off Roatan Island, Killing 12
The Crash:
A small plane plunged into the Caribbean Sea off Roatan Island,
Honduras, killing at least twelve people, including U.S. citizens.
Civil aviation official Carlos Padilla said the aircraft
“made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water” just after takeoff.
Rescue Efforts:
Rescuers faced difficult conditions.
“There are 30 meters of rocks and you can’t get there while walking or swimming,”
said Fire Captain Franklin Borjas.
“The divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility.”
Authorities recovered all but one body.
Victims Identified:
Among the dead was Honduran musician and politician Aurelio Martínez,
celebrated as a “true champion of Garífuna culture and music,” according to Belize’s Foreign Ministry.
Response and Cause:
President Xiomara Castro activated an emergency task force.
Officials suspect mechanical failure caused the crash.
The U.S. State Department confirmed one American fatality.
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