“Once again, our nation’s story has been scarred by tragedy,” Davis remarked at a press conference. “Today should be a day of celebration, but it has turned into a day of mourning.”
The incident, which coincided with the archipelago’s 53rd independence celebration, occurred around 1:00 p.m. EDT when the Cessna 402 aircraft departed from Lynden Pindling International Airport headed for San Andros Airport, as reported by the Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority.
According to the authority, the aircraft “reportedly encountered issues” before crashing into vegetation.
Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles stated that there were nine passengers along with a pilot onboard. She noted that one individual initially survived the crash but later succumbed to their injuries.
Also Read: Overdrive: Ferrari unveils electric Luce as Nissan launches Tecton SUV in India
The flight was operated by Flamingo Air, a local airline based in the Bahamas. The Ministry of Transport announced it has suspended the airline’s air operator certificate “as a precautionary safety measure.”
Flamingo Air has yet to respond to requests for comment, but local media reported that the company stated: “At this time, the details are being gathered, and we are committed to cooperating with the relevant authorities.”
