A Flamingo Air plane crashed near North Andros Airport in the Bahamas on Friday, killing 10 people. Authorities have launched an investigation.
Several people were killed after a Flamingo Air aircraft crashed in North Andros, the Bahamas, on Friday, prompting authorities to launch an investigation and temporarily suspend the airline’s operations.
According to local authorities, the police control room received reports of a plane crash in the Pine Yard area near North Andros Airport. Police initially said seven people were on board the aircraft. However, Bahamian authorities later confirmed that 10 people were killed in the crash.
Videos circulating on social media showed the aftermath of the crash near North Andros Airport as emergency responders arrived at the scene. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis initially said police had informed him that there were multiple casualties and that one person had survived the crash.
In a post on X, Davis said:
“I have been briefed by the Commissioner of Police on the aircraft incident now under investigation. At this stage, the facts are still being established, and the relevant authorities are working to determine exactly what occurred. We understand that there were casualties on board, and that one person survived.
Ann and I are praying for the families who are now facing unbearable grief. 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 Government will continue to receive updates from the Commissioner of Police and other relevant agencies, and the public will be informed as more confirmed information becomes available. May God comfort every family touched by this tragedy.”
However, Davis later confirmed during a press conference that the survivor had died from their injuries, bringing the death toll to 10. The victims have not been publicly identified.
“We gather beneath a cloud of great sorrow,” Davis said, noting that the country had been celebrating the Bahamas’ 53rd Independence anniversary.
“It has become a day of mourning… To every family that has received the devastating news, that someone they love will not be coming home, we offer our deepest condolences.”
The Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority said the aircraft had departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau and was headed to San Andros when it crashed. Officials identified the aircraft as a Cessna 402 registered in the Bahamas.
The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation confirmed it had been notified of the Flamingo Air crash.
The ministry announced that the Civil Aviation Authority had temporarily suspended Flamingo Air’s air operator certificate as a precautionary safety measure while investigators determine the cause of the crash.