A light aircraft crashed in the mountains of Guanacaste this Sunday, December 31 at 12:16 p.m.

According to initial reports by the director of Civil Aviation, Enio Cubillo, there were 12 people aboard including the crew (2), the aircraft operated a private flight apparently contracted by a group of tourists who apparently were staying in a hotel in the area.

The plane took off from a local runway and was heading to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. The Nature Air aircraft with registry TI-BEI had problems shortly after take off, crashed in the mountains and according to witnesses immediately caught fire.

 

The rescue teams could not arrive at the scene quickly because it is an area difficult to access. Locals and officers in the area have confirmed to The Costa Rica Star there are no survivors.

The 10 deceased tourists have been reported as follows:

1. 1. Amanda Geissler
   2. Thibault Astruc
   3. Charles Palmer
   4. Bruce Steinberg
   5. Irene Steinberg
   6. Matthew Steinberg
   7. William Steinberg
   8. Zachary Steinberg
   9. Leslie Weiss
   10. Sherry Wuu

 

The 2 crew members deceased were both Costa Rican:

1. 1. Juan Manuel Retana Chinchilla (Ex Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla’s cousin)

(pilot)

1. Ema Lucía Ramos Calderón.

*News in development*