A new air tragedy shakes the Caribbean. A Cessna 402 aircraft, registration C6-FLX, crashed this Friday in North Andros, west of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. The toll is devastating: at least 10 dead, including the pilot and nine passengers. There were no survivors.
The aircraft, belonging to Flamingo Air, had taken off from Lynden Pindling International Airport bound for San Andros Airport. According to initial reconstructions by the Bahamas Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), the plane experienced difficulties during the flight and ended up crashing into bushes near the San Andros airfield.
The Bahamas government wasted no time: it temporarily suspended all Flamingo Air flights. Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis commented on the investigation: «At this stage, the facts are still being established, and the relevant authorities are working to determine exactly what happened. We understand there were casualties on board and that one person survived.» However, no survivor has been confirmed so far.
«This is a painful moment. The affected families deserve compassion, privacy, and support as the investigation progresses. 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,» the official added.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Airport Authority participated in the rescue operation. Flamingo Air confirmed that one of its aircraft had suffered a «fatal accident in the North Andros area of the Bahamas.»
Meanwhile, in another corner of the world, a routine Ryanair flight between Greece and Germany nearly turned into another catastrophe. A Boeing 737 operated by Malta Air suffered a window breakage minutes after takeoff from Thessaloniki. A 61-year-old Serbian passenger was partially sucked outside. Only the quick reaction of other travelers, who managed to hold him and pull him back inside, prevented a greater tragedy.
Flight FR1879, bound for Memmingen, Germany, immediately returned to Thessaloniki, where it landed safely without further incident. The passenger was hospitalized with friction burns and in shock, but his life is not in danger. Witnesses described a noise «similar to a tire blowout,» followed by cabin pressure loss and automatic deployment of oxygen masks.
Ryanair confirmed in a statement that the plane «returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff after a passenger window came loose during the flight.» The airline said the aircraft landed normally and passengers were taken to the terminal, from where they later continued their journey on another plane.
Two air incidents on the same day raise alarms about aviation safety. While in the Bahamas the causes of a fatal accident are being investigated, in Greece they celebrate that a scare did not escalate. Authorities promise answers, but the families of the victims in the Bahamas are already mourning their loved ones.
10 muertos y nadie dice nada?? para mi esto es lo q pasa cuando el capitalismo se cree dios. Flamingo Air seguro prioriza la plata sobre la seguridad. los dueños deberian estar presos no volando. #JusticiaParaLasVictimas
para mi esto huele a gobierno corrupto de mierda 10 muertos y nadie investiga los vuelos truchos de flamingo air los zurdos lloran por inmigrantes pero aca no dicen nada justicia ya firmado el patriota arg