Five people died in a small plane crash off the coast of Honduras on Saturday
The single engine Piper Cherokee Six plane was taking off from Roatan, a popular tourist island, to the mainland port of Trujillo some 50 miles away
Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying erratically before it took a dive into the Caribbean Sea
A preliminary investigation blamed engine failure for downing the plane
Police divers and firemen recovered four bodies within minutes of the crash
One person was transported to the hospital and died shortly after injuries
Honduran authorities identified the pilot as Patrick Forseth, a Canadian national who developed tourism projects in the Trujillo Bay area
Four Americans and a Canadian pilot were killed on Saturday when a small plane crashed into the sea off the coast of Honduras.
The group was flying in a Piper Cherokee Six plane that plummeted into the Caribbean Sea just minutes after taking off from Roatan, a popular tourist destination, en route to the mainland port of Trujillo, some 50 miles away.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying erratically before taking a dive.
A preliminary investigation blamed engine failure for the downing of the single engine aircraft.
Armed Forces spokesman Jose Domingo Meza confirmed the nationalities of those who died in Saturday’s crash.
The military said in a statement that rescue boats with police divers and firemen recovered four bodies within minutes of the crash, and transported another to a hospital, where he died shortly after of internal injuries.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the deaths of four U.S. citizens to DailyMail.com and Global Affairs Canada confirmed that a Canadian had also died. They did not release names.
‘We can confirm the death of four U.S. citizens in an airplane crash in Honduras on May 18, 2019. The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa is providing all appropriate consular assistance. We express our condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,’ a State Department spokesperson said to DailyMail.com.
Honduran authorities identified the pilot as Patrick Forseth, a Canadian national who developed tourism projects in the Trujillo Bay area.
Witnesses reported seeing the Piper Cherokee Six single engine plane flying erratically before diving into the sea
Police divers and firemen recovered four bodies within minutes of the crash. One person was transported to the hospital and died shortly after injuries
Emergency crew pictured recovering the remains of victims from the crash on Saturday
‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the Canadian Citizen who died in a tragic plane crash in Roatán Islands, Honduras. Canadian consular officials in Tegucigalpa, Honduras are in contact with local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family of the victim,’ Global Affairs Canada said to.
Forseth was involved in a legal dispute with Afro-indigenous Hondurans who accused him of trying to develop their ancestral lands into vacation properties for international tourists.
Divers pictured underwater extracting from the Caribbean sea debris of a light plane that crashed at the Isla Bonita area
