Ten people died in a Flamingo Air crash near Nassau; Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority launched probe.
Ten people died after a small passenger plane operated by Flamingo Air crashed in a wooded area on the largest island in the Bahamas. The incident occurred on July 10, near Andros Island, while the aircraft was en route from Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority reported that the plane reportedly "encountered difficulties and crashed into bushes prior to landing." Authorities confirmed that the accident claimed the lives of ten people. Local sources identified several members of the popular musical group Da Pond Band among the deceased. Following the crash, the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas suspended the Air Operator Certificate for Flamingo Air as a precautionary safety measure. Investigators are continuing to gather information regarding the flight, operations, and maintenance to determine the cause of the accident. The crash took place amid heightened activity at the airport, as another Flamingo Air flight earlier that day experienced engine trouble and subsequently caught fire after landing. Officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority are leading the ongoing inquiry into the fatalities.
Sources
- Musicians, DJ among 10 dead after plane crashes in the Bahamas — USA Today
- Bahamian music group "still shocked" after bandmates killed in small plane crash — CBS News
- Flamingo Air AOC Temporarily Suspended Following Fatal Crash — Aviation Week
- Musicians Killed in Island Plane Crash-Landing — The Daily Beast
- Small plane crash in Bahamas kills 10 people — BBC