Tragedy Strikes: Garifuna Music Icon Lost in Honduran Plane Crash

A plane crash off Honduras claimed 12 lives, including Garifuna musician Aurelio Martínez Suazo. The small commercial flight, operated by Lanhsa Airlines, crashed into the sea shortly after departing from Roatan. Among the tragedy, five individuals survived, while the crash investigation is ongoing.

A tragic airplane crash near the coast of Honduras resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals, among them the esteemed Garifuna musician, Aurelio Martínez Suazo. Authorities confirmed the incident involving a flight from Lanhsa Airlines, which plummeted into the sea shortly after its takeoff from Roatan Monday night, destined for La Ceiba.

The aircraft carried a total of 17 people, but only five survived, with the victims being rescued by local fishermen and subsequently hospitalized. Investigations into what went wrong are currently being conducted by the Honduran Civil Aeronautics Agency.

Martínez Suazo, a prominent figure in Garifuna music and culture with U.S. citizenship, was mourned by many, including his nephew Ángel Aparicio Fernández Martínez. Revered as a global ambassador for Garifuna culture, Martínez Suazo's contributions to music and his community are enduring legacies alongside the tragedy of his untimely death.

(With inputs from agencies.)