Bahamas grounds Flamingo Air after deadly small plane crash near Nassau

The Bahamas temporarily grounded Flamingo Air flights after a small plane crashed in North Andros on Friday, killing several people and leaving one survivor. The crash came as aviation officials opened an investigation into one of the country’s most heavily used forms of transport, the small carriers that link Nassau with islands and settlements across the archipelago.

The Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas suspended Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate as a precautionary safety measure while the crash was being examined. Officials said the suspension was not an adverse compliance action against the airline. The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation said it was notified earlier in the day of the crash involving a Flamingo Air aircraft and continued to receive updates from the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas and other agencies.

Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said police informed him that there were casualties and that one person survived. He said he and his wife were praying for the families now facing grief. The crash added a public-mourning note to a national holiday, coming as The Bahamas marked its independence from Britain.

Aviation Safety Network identified the aircraft as a Flamingo Air Charter Cessna 402C, registration C6-FLX. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from San Andros Airport and was destroyed in a wooded area. Early accounts varied on the number of people aboard, with some reports saying at least seven, while later reports said nine passengers and one pilot were on board, for a total of 10.

Flamingo Air confirmed the aircraft involved was owned by the airline and extended condolences in a statement. The incident drew immediate attention to small-aircraft safety in the Bahamas, where air travel between islands is not a luxury but a daily necessity for residents, workers and visitors moving through an island chain built around short flights and close schedules.