Bahamas suspends Flamingo Air flights after crash kills 10

A Cessna 402 that departed Nassau's Lynden Pindling International Airport around 1 p.m. on Friday crashed into dense brush near San Andros Airport, killing ten occupants, officials said. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority reported the aircraft encountered difficulties before impact, and first responders from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and emergency services recovered the bodies.

The Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union confirmed the deaths, including members of a local band and a DJ. Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis said a sole survivor was rescued and expressed sympathy for the families.

"Ann and I are praying for the families who are now facing grief. We are also praying for the survivor, whose recovery and care will remain in our thoughts," Davis wrote on social media.

Earlier that day, a Flamingo Air flight to Mayaguana returned to Nassau after the pilot reported a problem; the aircraft caught fire on the runway after passengers disembarked. The Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas suspended Flamingo Air's Air Operator Certificate as a precautionary safety measure, stating the action was not a compliance penalty.

Investigators from the AAIA and CAAB continue to examine the crash site to determine the cause of the Cessna 402 accident.