The Associated Press is reporting famous Garifuna musician Aurelio Martínez Suazo was one of the 12 people killed in a plane crash off the coast of Honduras (March 18, 2025). An American citizen, he was a celebrated musician and politician in the Honduras and an important part of the Honduran and music community in New Orleans.
The AP reports:
“The Lanhsa Airlines flight crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff Monday night from the island of Roatan en route to the mainland city of La Ceiba. It carried 17 passengers and crew, five of whom were rescued and hospitalized. Police reported that the plane failed to reach full altitude and sank quickly after impact. Local fishermen rescued the survivors.”
“Among the victims was Aurelio Martínez Suazo, a former member of Congress and member of the Garifuna ethnic group, which is of mixed African and Indigenous heritage. Martínez Suazo also held U.S. citizenship. His representative, Helene Odile Guivarch, a French citizen, was among the survivors.”
According to the Honduran Civil Aeronautics Agency, the plane crash is under investigation.
Read more about this story on the Associated Press.
This news brief was curated by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow The Burton Wire on IG or Meta @BurtonWireNews.
