At least 12 people were killed Monday evening after a plane crashed from Honduras' Caribbean coast, authorities said.
According to the country's civil aviation agency, the plane crashed seconds after taking off from Juan Manuel Galves Airport on Roatan. The destination was intended to be nearby Rashiva Island.
Honduras President Xiomara Castro said the wreckage was found less than a mile from the coast of Roatan Island.
Two crew members and 15 passengers were on a small aircraft, according to the Aeronautics Agency.
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Rescue operations are underway after a plane crash on March 17, 2025 at Roatan, Bay Island, Honduras. (Policia nacional de Honduras/Handout)
The planes reported that they included American citizens, French citizens and two minors, citing a flight manifesto shown by local media.
Five people were rescued from the incident, but one remains missing, Honduras firefighters said.
Local firefighters said that among the deaths, Aurelio Martinez Suzo, famous Honduras musician, was Aurelio Martinez Suzo, according to Reuters.
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The rescue team will transport survivors of the Honduras crash plane crash on March 17, 2025 to a jet on Roatan Island. (Honduras military/handout)
The accident was reportedly caused by suspected mechanical failure of the aircraft, said Roatan Mayor Ronnie Richard McNapp Thompson.
Fox News contacted Lanhsa Airlines for more details but did not receive a response immediately.
Civil Aviation official Carlos Padilla told AFP news agency that the plane “turned sharply to the right of the runway and fell into the water.”
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The rescue team is working in the aftermath of a plane crash near Roatan Island in Honduras on March 17, 2025. (Honduras National Police/Distributed Materials)
The Honduras government has revitalized several emergency services, including the military, firefighters and police.
“The Honduras government deeply regrets the tragic accident in Roatan,” the government said in a post on X on Monday.
The military also said in a post on X that “the rapid response team continues to work in the area to protect the lives of those affected.”
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A dramatic video of the incident shows an emergency crew carrying out rescue operations from the sea.
Roatan Fire Captain Franklin Borjas told Reuters that the survivors were taken to a nearby hospital, but harmful conditions complicated search and rescue and rescue efforts on Monday.
“It was difficult to access the accident. [site]Because it's 30 meters [98 feet] Of the rocks, and you can't get there while walking or swimming,” Borjas said Monday night.
Firefighters said efforts will continue to locate missing passengers on Tuesday, when weather and visibility conditions are expected to improve.
Reuters contributed to this report.
