Renowned Garifuna Musician Among 13 Victims in Honduras Plane Crash
Aurelio Martínez, a celebrated musician from the Garifuna community, tragically lost his life in a plane crash that claimed at least 13 lives near the coast of Honduras. The accident occurred as the Lanhsa Airlines flight attempted to take off from Roatán, a popular tourist spot in the Caribbean. The plane was en route to La Ceiba on the mainland when it veered sharply and plunged into the sea, according to civil aviation official Carlos Padilla.
A fisherman who witnessed the crash described the plane's close proximity to his boat. Fortunately, five individuals were rescued from the water. Martínez, who served as Honduras's first Black congressman from 2006 to 2010, was a prominent figure in Garifuna music, having released numerous albums and performed a Tiny Desk concert for NPR. In 2017, he was hailed as the leading figure in Garifuna music by the Guardian.
His nephew, Ángel Aparicio Fernández, expressed the family's grief, noting Martínez's role as a cornerstone for them. Martínez had been part of Los Gatos Bravos before founding his own group, Lita Ariran. His debut album, "Garifuna Soul," brought him international recognition.
Garifuna activist Ubafu Topsey from Belize described Martínez as a visionary akin to Bob Marley, emphasizing his commitment to his roots and his ability to unite people. Freda Sideroff, the Garifuna Queen Mother, highlighted his role as a cultural ambassador and his lasting impact on the Garifuna community.
The Garifuna people, descendants of enslaved Africans and Indigenous Kalinago and Arawak, were displaced by British forces in 1796 and have since settled along Central America's coast and beyond.
Footage shared on social media captured the dramatic rescue efforts, with officers and rescuers aiding survivors on a rocky shoreline. Among the injured was a 40-year-old French national, who was to be hospitalized in San Pedro Sula. The aircraft carried 15 passengers, two pilots, and a flight attendant. The crash, occurring about a kilometer offshore, was attributed to a likely mechanical failure of the British-made Jetstream 41.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced the immediate activation of an emergency response team, including the military and fire services, to support the victims.