Fatal Bahamas Plane Crash Claims 10 Lives Including Prominent Musicians; Aviation Authority Suspends Airline Operations

A devastating aviation crisis unfolded in the Bahamas on Friday as a deadly plane crash in North Andros and a separate aircraft fire prompted the government to suspend flight operations for a local carrier and launch a federal safety investigation.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m. local time, a Bahamian-registered Cessna 402 departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau bound for San Andros Airport. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) reported the plane “encountered difficulties” and crashed into dense brush short of the runway.

Authorities said 10 people were killed in a Bahamas plane crash on Friday. (Our News Bahamas via AP)

First responders—including the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Airport Authority, and emergency medical personnel—rushed to the wreckage site. The Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union confirmed Saturday that 10 people perished in the crash, among them prominent members of “The Pond Band” and a local DJ whose artistry, the union said, “touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas.”

Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis reported one survivor was pulled from the wreckage.

“Ann and I are praying for the families who are now facing unbearable grief,” Davis wrote in a statement on X. “We are also praying for the survivor, whose recovery and care will remain in our thoughts.”

The identities of those killed have not yet been released. While the AAIA’s preliminary reports initially indicated seven people were on board, officials are still working to establish the flight manifest.

Just hours before the fatal North Andros crash, a Flamingo Air flight en route to Mayaguana was forced to return to Nassau after the pilot reported a concern, according to the Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation (MoET). After landing safely and deplaning passengers, the aircraft caught fire on the runway.

FILE – The Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas temporarily suspended Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate following two aircraft incidents Friday. (iStock)

In response to the two back-to-back safety incidents, the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAAB) temporarily suspended Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate, MoET officials confirmed.

“The suspension is a precautionary safety measure and should not be treated as an adverse compliance action against Flamingo Air,” the agency stated.

FILE – The plane crashed in North Andros on Friday after taking off from Lynden Pindling International Airport. (Melissa Alcena/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Investigators from the AAIA and inspectors from the CAAB remain at the scene in North Andros as they work to determine the cause of the Cessna 402 tragedy. Flamingo Air did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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