Ten dead after Flamingo Air Cessna 402 crashes on Andros Island on Bahamas' 53rd independence day
A Cessna 402 operated by Flamingo Air crashed near San Andros Airport on Friday, killing all 10 aboard. The flight had taken off from Nassau roughly 30 minutes earlier on the nation's 53rd independence anniversary.
Crash details
On Friday, July 10, a Cessna 402 aircraft operated by Bahamas-based Flamingo Air crashed on Andros Island, killing all 10 people on board. The flight departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau around 12:30 p.m. local time and was en route to San Andros Airport. According to the Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority, the plane "reportedly encountered difficulties" and went down in bushes just west of the runway. Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles said nine passengers and a pilot were aboard. One person was found alive with critical injuries but died later. Police in Nicholls Town received reports just before 2 p.m. The crash occurred roughly 30 minutes after takeoff, around 1:00 p.m.
- Flight departs Lynden Pindling International Airport, Nassau.
- Aircraft encounters difficulties and crashes near San Andros Airport.
- Police receive reports of crash just before 2 p.m.
Immediate aftermath
Authorities did not release the identities of the victims. A report in Italian media, citing a passenger list, indicated that members of the Da Pond Band, a musical group, may have been among those killed. Prime Minister Philip Davis initially announced one survivor, then revised the death toll at a press conference later in the day.
We gather beneath a cloud of great sorrow.
Government response
The tragedy fell on the 53rd anniversary of Bahamian independence, a holiday usually filled with parades and dance. Davis said the celebration had turned into a day of mourning.
Today is a day of celebration but it has become a day of mourning.
The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation suspended Flamingo Air’s air operator certificate as a precautionary safety measure. It stressed that the suspension was not an adverse compliance action. Aviation Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis disclosed that a second safety incident had occurred earlier Friday: a Flamingo Air flight returned to Nassau after the pilot reported an issue, and a fire broke out on board after landing and passengers had disembarked, according to CBS News. The grounding affects all Flamingo Air flights across the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Airline statement
Flamingo Air did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters or the New York Times. In remarks to local media, the airline said:
At this time, the details are being gathered, and we are committed to cooperating with the relevant authorities.
Investigation
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority of the Bahamas is leading the probe, with support from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and other agencies. The cause of the crash remains unknown pending the investigation’s findings.
