Small plane crash leaves at least 14 dead in Honduras

Small plane crash leaves at least 14 dead in Honduras

2011-02-15 02:12:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS (BNO NEWS) -- A small plane on Monday crashed leaving at least 14 dead in central Honduras, El Heraldo newspaper reported.

The accident took place at about 8:00 a.m. local time in the Santa Ana municipality, near the capital city Tegucigalpa. A small Let 410 plane fell down at about one kilometer from the Las Mesitas village.

Among the victims were union leader Israel Salinas and former Finance Minister Carlos Chahin. The plane departed from the Ramón Villeda Morales airport in San Pedro Sula and was heading towards Tegucigalpa.

The small aircraft was expected to land at about 8:00 a.m. and was reported missing at 9:00 a.m. Preliminary reports said that the bad weather could have caused the accident.

Local residents of Santa Ana said that a loud explosion was heard shortly before 8:00 a.m. Authorities deployed two helicopters to aid in the rescue efforts as well as an ambulance.

The Honduran Air Force also informed that three U.S. citizens were killed in the accident, James Howard, Tom Flayer and Flin Toncruch. The small plane is owned by Central American Airways.

The accident took place about a kilometer from the Sahsa tragedy. On October 21, 1989, a plane crashed killing 131 people.

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