At least 12 people were killed Monday evening when a British-made Jetstream 41 aircraft crashed into the Caribbean Sea shortly after takeoff from the Honduran island of Roatán, according to local authorities. Among the victims was renowned Honduran musician and former congressman Aurelio Martinez, a cultural figure celebrated both at home and abroad.
The aircraft, operating as Aerolinea Lanhsa Flight 018, had been en route to the mainland port city of La Ceiba when it suffered what police described as an "apparent mechanical failure." The plane made a sharp turn to the right of the runway before plunging into the sea approximately half a mile from Roatán's coast.
Civil aviation official Carlos Padilla confirmed, The aircraft "made a sharp turn to the right of the runway and fell into the water." A fisherman who witnessed the crash told HCH television, "The plane almost fell on us. I was fishing."
Authorities reported that the plane was carrying 15 passengers, two pilots, and a flight attendant. Emergency crews and fire department personnel rescued five survivors from the wreckage, one of whom was a 40-year-old French national transported to a hospital in San Pedro Sula. Another video shared by police showed teams carrying survivors onto the island's rocky shore.
12 PERSONAS FALLECIDAS Y CINCO CON VIDA TRAS ACCIDENTE AÉREO EN ROATÁN
A esta hora solo falta un cuerpo por rescatar, los equipos de socorro continúan las labores. @hegusave pic.twitter.com/HBYMQfj7iW — Policía Nacional de Honduras (@PoliciaHonduras) March 18, 2025
Major Wilmer Guerrero of the Honduran fire department confirmed the death toll, stating, "Twelve people were killed in the crash while five others were rescued." As of Tuesday morning, one body remained unaccounted for.
The loss of Aurelio Martinez, 55, has reverberated across Honduras and the international music community. Martinez gained fame in the 1990s as a key figure in the Garifuna music scene, blending traditional rhythms with modern influences. According to the Kennedy Center, Martinez founded the ensemble Lita Ariran, one of the first Garifuna groups to secure international distribution.
"Martinez's virtuosic musicianship and passionate performances made him a mainstay of the La Ceiba music scene, where he was best loved for his take on punta rock, the high-energy, Garifuna roots-infused pop genre that took Central America by storm in the 1990s," the Kennedy Center noted.
Beyond his musical contributions, Martinez broke political barriers as Honduras' first Black congressman, serving from 2006 to 2010. Honduran President Xiomara Castro de Zelaya expressed her condolences and announced that she had "immediately activated" emergency responders and the Red Cross to assist in rescue efforts. "May God protect people's lives," she stated.
