A tragic plane crash off the coast of Honduras has claimed the lives of 12 people, including prominent Garifuna musician and former congressman Aurelio Martínez Suazo.
Crash Details
The Lanhsa Airlines flight took off from the island of Roatán on Monday night, heading for La Ceiba on the mainland. Shortly after takeoff, the plane failed to reach full altitude and plunged into the Caribbean Sea.
Of the 17 people on board, five survived and were rescued by local fishermen. They were later hospitalized.
The Honduran Civil Aeronautics Agency has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
A Loss for the Garifuna Community
Aurelio Martínez Suazo, a celebrated musician and advocate for Garifuna culture, was among the victims. Martínez, who also held U.S. citizenship, was originally from Honduras’ Gracias a Dios region.
His representative, French citizen Helene Odile Guivarch, was among the survivors.
“We’re devastated,” said his nephew Ángel Aparicio Fernández Martínez, a fellow musician. “He was the family’s pillar.”
Martínez was not only a musician but also a former congressman, using his platform to preserve and promote Garifuna traditions. His passing is a profound loss for Honduran culture and the global Garifuna community.
