Seven individuals, including the renowned singer and politician Aurelio Martinez Suazo, tragically lost their lives in a devastating plane crash in Honduras.

The ill-fated aircraft, with 17 passengers on board, including Martinez Suazo, encountered disaster shortly after departing from Roatan Island on Monday.

Roatan fire captain Franklin Borjas confirmed the fatalities and detailed the challenging rescue operations. The country’s transport minister reported that the crash site was approximately one kilometre off the island’s coast.

He remarked: “It’s been difficult to access the accident (site) because there are 30 meters (98 ft) of rocks, and you can’t get there while walking or swimming. The divers helping with the rescue have zero visibility.”

Local reports indicate that two children were on the plane during the incident. Additionally, an American and a French citizen were reported to be on the flight destined for La Ceiba airport on the Honduran mainland.

The accident happened on Monday at 6.18pm local time, according to the Civil Aeronautics agency.

The Jetstream 32 type aircraft plunged into the sea seconds after taking off from Gálvez International Airport.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro released a statement saying she activated an Emergency Operations Committee.

“They have immediately arrived at the scene of the plane crash that occurred 1 km from Roatán International Airport and are tirelessly assisting in the unfortunate incident,” she said.

Dramatic video uploaded to social media by the national police showed officers and other rescue workers carrying survivors onto a rocky coastline, some in stretchers, as a nearby boat shone a bright light amid the darkness.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. The airline did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Borjas told Reuters the survivors were transported to a nearby hospital while also confirming that the crash took place shortly after the plane’s takeoff from the island.

Roatan, the largest of the Bay Islands just off the Honduran coast, is a popular tourist attraction renowned for its vibrant coral reefs.