The sea took the plane in minutes. What should have been a short, routine flight from Roatán to the mainland turned into an unthinkable tragedy. Honduras woke to the news that children, tourists, and a beloved cultural figure were gone—and with each passing hour, the grief grew heavier than the answers.

Off Roatán’s coast, wreckage floating in the water marked where the flight ended. Rescue teams battled darkness and rough currents through the night, recovering bodies while clinging to the hope that someone might still be alive. For families waiting on shore and at airports, the silence was agonizing.

The loss of Aurelio Martínez pushed the tragedy beyond national borders. A celebrated Garifuna musician, he carried his people’s history, rhythm, and resilience in his voice. His death is not only personal—it is a cultural wound felt across Honduras and throughout the Garifuna diaspora.

As investigators begin piecing together what went wrong, families are left in painful limbo. Answers may come, but long after the shock has settled. For now, the country mourns together—grieving lost lives, honoring a cultural guardian, and holding onto the hope that even if the sea claimed the plane, the truth will not be lost with it.