A small plane crashed in the Bahamas on Friday, killing all 10 people on board. The aircraft, a Cessna 402 registered in the Bahamas, had departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau and was headed to San Andros when it went down in a wooded area in North Andros. The plane was engulfed in flames when police arrived.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed that nine men and one woman were killed. Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis had initially said one person survived the crash, but he later confirmed at a news conference that person died from their injuries.
An aviation source told CBS News that the flight manifest showed some members of Da Pond Band, a well-known Bahamian musical group, were set to be on board. DJ Fresh, a popular island DJ, was also believed to be among the passengers, according to the same source. Officials have not yet released a formal list of names.
The crash fell on a painful day for the country. Davis noted that Bahamians had been celebrating the nation's 53rd independence anniversary when news of the disaster broke.
"We gather beneath a cloud of great sorrow," Davis said. "It has become a day of mourning. ... To every family that has received the devastating news, that someone they love will not be coming home, we offer our deepest condolences."
The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation responded by temporarily suspending Flamingo Air's air operator certificate. The ministry described the suspension as a precautionary safety measure while investigators look into the cause of the crash.
The crash was not the only incident involving a Flamingo Air aircraft that day. Energy, Utilities and Aviation Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said a separate Flamingo Air plane had been en route to Mayaguana earlier Friday when the pilot reported a concern and turned back to Nassau. After the plane landed and passengers deboarded, it caught fire. That incident is also under investigation.
The Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority confirmed it has opened a formal investigation into the fatal crash.
