SouthernWorldwide.com – The Bahamas is grappling with a severe aviation crisis following a fatal plane crash in North Andros and a separate aircraft fire on Friday. These twin incidents have led the government to suspend operations for a local airline and initiate a comprehensive federal safety investigation.
The ill-fated Cessna 402 aircraft, bearing Bahamian registration, took off from Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau shortly after 1 p.m. local time on Friday. Its intended destination was San Andros Airport.
According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), the plane “encountered difficulties” and crashed into dense brush just before it could land.
First responders, including personnel from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Airport Authority, and emergency medical services, were immediately dispatched to the crash site.
Tragically, the Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union confirmed on Saturday that ten individuals perished in the crash. Among the victims were esteemed members of “The Pond Band” and a well-known local DJ. The union lamented the loss, stating that their artistry “touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas.”
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis announced that a single survivor was successfully extricated from the wreckage.
“Ann and I are praying for the families who are now facing unbearable grief,” Prime Minister Davis conveyed in a statement released on X. “We are also praying for the survivor, whose recovery and care will remain in our thoughts.”
The identities of those who lost their lives in the crash have not yet been publicly disclosed.
While initial preliminary reports from the AAIA suggested that seven individuals were aboard the aircraft, officials are still in the process of verifying the exact flight manifest.
Just a few hours prior to the fatal crash in North Andros, a Flamingo Air flight bound for Mayaguana was compelled to return to Nassau. The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation (MoET) reported that the pilot had raised a concern leading to the diversion.
After the aircraft landed safely and all passengers disembarked without incident, the plane unfortunately caught fire on the runway.
In the wake of these two consecutive safety incidents, the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAAB) has temporarily suspended Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate. MoET officials confirmed this action.
“The suspension is a precautionary safety measure and should not be treated as an adverse compliance action against Flamingo Air,” the CAAB stated. This emphasizes the move as a proactive step to ensure safety.
Investigators from the AAIA and inspectors from the CAAB are presently on the ground in North Andros. They are diligently working to ascertain the precise cause of the tragic Cessna 402 accident.
