In the coastal region of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, a small commercial plane experienced a crash, resulting in the death of 12 individuals, including a notable Garifuna musician. This incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Roatan Island on Monday night, en route to La Ceiba. The flight carried a total of 17 passengers and crew members, five of whom were fortunately rescued and hospitalized.

The Honduran Civil Aeronautics Agency has initiated an investigation into the crash. Among the victims was Aurelio Martínez Suazo, a former member of Congress and a proud representative of the Garifuna ethnic group, which has roots in both African and Indigenous heritage. Martínez Suazo also held U.S. citizenship.

Helene Odile Guivarch, a French citizen and representative of Martínez Suazo, survived the accident. Originally from the Gracias a Dios region along the Caribbean coast of Honduras, Martínez Suazo was celebrated as a vital pillar of his family and a prominent figure in Garifuna music. He previously played in the band Los Gatos Bravos before forming his own group, Lita Ariran. His debut album, “Garifuna Soul,” gained international recognition and took him to Europe, the United States, and other parts of the world. According to his nephew, Ángel Aparicio Fernández Martínez, also a musician, Martínez Suazo was a phenomenal ambassador for Garifuna music on a global scale.

Humberto Castillo, the president of the Association of Afro-descendants of the Sula Valley, described Martínez Suazo as the ambassador of Garifuna culture, acknowledging his fluency in both Garifuna and Miskito languages and his ability to compose music in both. The bodies of the victims were transported from Roatan to the morgue in San Pedro Sula.

Source: https://time.com/7269340/honduras-plane-crash-aurelio-martinez-suazo-garifuna-musician-death/