Commuter plane crashes on takeoff; injuries minor

A plane crash late this evening in Belize City has left over a dozen people injured. Shortly after five this evening, Tropic Air’s last flight out of the Municipal Airstrip heading for San Pedro crashed into the sea just moments after take off. Fourteen people, including the pilot Gerry Proehl were on board the Cessna Caravan when it went down in rough seas a short distance from the runway. There were no fatalities and everyone was evacuated and taken by ambulance to hospitals in the city with varying degrees of cuts, bruises and broken bones. Police quickly cordoned off the area, even as debris from the plane which still sits upside down in the water washed ashore. According to several people we spoke with at the scene, a gust of wind at the time of take off, may have disrupted the aircraft as the pilot tried to get airborne. To recap: a Tropic Air plane, the company’s last flight out of the Municipal Airstrip this evening crashed into the sea shortly after take off. Thirteen passengers on board suffered varying degrees of injuries, none of which are believed to be life threatening. An investigation into the incident has begun.