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Ten people, including local Caribbean musicians, are dead after a plane crashed on the largest island in the Bahamas, local officials said.
According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), a Cessna 402 crashed just after 1 p.m. local time on Friday, July 10, after departing Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau.
The aircraft, with Bahamas registration C6-FLX, was en route to San Andros Airport on Andros Island, the AAIA announced in a news release.
The aircraft, operated by Flamingo Air, reportedly “encountered difficulties and crashed into bushes prior to landing,” in North Andros, according to the release.
“Response efforts are currently underway, with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Airport Authority, and emergency medical personnel responding to the accident site,” the release continues. “The AAIA extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragic accident and keeps all those impacted in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
The crash took place on the country’s Independence Day.
Who died in Bahamas’ plane crash?
The AAIA initially reported that seven people died, but during a news conference, Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis later said 10 people were on board and that one person survived. The sole survivor later died, according to Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles.
“Ann and I are praying for the families who are now facing unbearable grief,” Davis also wrote in post on X. “We are also praying for the survivor, whose recovery and care will remain in our thoughts. This is a painful moment. The families affected deserve compassion, privacy, and support as the investigation proceeds.”
The victim’s identities were not immediately known.
According to a post on X, the Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union said local Bahamian musicians and a DJ were among the dead.
“Among the dearly departed are some of the talented and vibrant members of our entertainment community, including members of The Pond Band and a DJ,” the union said. “(Their) passion, dedication, and artistry touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas.”
USA TODAY has reached out to the entertainment union.
The exact cause of the crash remained under investigation on Monday, July 13.
Earlier in the day, another plane, a Flamingo Air flight bound for the country’s easternmost island, Mayaguana, returned to Nassau after the pilot reported a concern, Bahamian Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said during a press conference.
After the plane landed and passengers deplaned, the plane caught fire, Coleby-Davis told reporters. No injuries were reported in that crash.
In a statement on Facebook, the country’s Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation said the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas had “temporarily suspended” Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate “as a precautionary safety measure,” while the AAIA investigates that crash.
USA TODAY has reached out to Flamingo Air for more information.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact AAIA at +1 242-376-8334 or visit baaid@bahamas.gov.bs.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund
Contributing: Reuters
