An ordinary Honduras flight heading to the Caribbean coast became a devastating disaster that made the entire nation mourn.
On March 17 2025 a Lanhsa Airlines British Aerospace Jetstream 32 took off from Roatán Island to La Ceiba but failed to complete its journey.
The aircraft began displaying problems right from its departure time. The airline informed passengers that departure would happen at 5:40 PM however the actual departure time had unknown reasons.
She felt the expected flight waiting time would be 25 minutes. Airline staff did not tell passengers beyond their waiting time though the flight had not taken off as scheduled.
Travelers boarded reluctantly and experienced departure into the night sky as their departure from Roatán.
As strange aircraft movements bothered her Liliana sensed something wrong before the plane taxied to takeoff.
She sent a message to her boyfriend at the exact time of 6:28 p.m. Her message expressed deep love with a hidden concern about the plane.
The text she typed as her last words reached him after she went unconscious.
After a sudden shift in course the plane slid on the runway and plunged into the Caribbean Sea at a distance of 328 feet from the airport.
Emergency responders charged to the scene right after the jet crash. Against strong sea waves and poor visibility these first responders dared to rescue survivors.
Emergency responders discovered five survivors including Liliana who emerged with multiple breakages along with internal wounds and ankle damage from the crash.
From her hospital room Liliana shares all flight issues with the public and accuses Lanhsa Airlines of flying the plane without addressing early warning signs.
The aircraft had trouble from the beginning even without taking off. They sent us on board despite their knowledge we likely would not survive.
People react with anger and worry about airline safety standards in the area while waiting for answers from the aviation authority.
Officials from the Honduran Civil Aeronautics Agency work to determine what led to the plane crash through a detailed investigation that examines both plane systems and airline supervision standards.
When the plane struck her body she lost consciousness according to Estrada. I think this is when I struck myself in my head. Maybe I lost consciousness from my head injury before receiving my facial wounds.
Through her thoughts about survival she deals with the trauma as she thinks about her good fortune. “I’m not complaining—I’m alive.”
News organizations revealing the victims’ identities showed us the complete sorrow of the event later on.
The aircraft crash took the lives of twelve people including Martin Suazo Aurelio who was both a music star and a former Garifuna congressman.
As a well-known cultural icon of 55 years he was on board when the plane crashed and his loss has touched both serious fans and everyone in Garifuna communities internationally.
People around the world are sending tributes which has turned a normal flight into a national disaster with potential prevention.
Feature Image Credit: (Youtube/CNBC-TV18)