LanSluder

I'm told by reliable sources that a Tropic Air Caravan went into the sea late this afternoon (Wednesday, March 9) shortly after take off around 5:30 p.m. from the municipal airstrip in Belize City, en route to San Pedro, reportedly in a squall. There were apparently 13 passengers aboard. None was seriously injured but at least six were taken to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Tropic Air also ditched a Caravan in the sea last year near San Pedro, also with 13 aboard, with some injuries but no fatalities.

--Lan Sluder
www.belizefirst.com

LanSluder

Here's more information on this evening's crash, and corrected information on two past crashes of Tropic Air flights.

TROPIC AIR CESSNA CARAVAN DITCHES IN SEA EN ROUTE TO THE CAYES A Tropic Air Cessna Grand Caravan with 13 passengers aboard crashed around 5:30 pm local time Wednesday, March 9, just seconds after leaving the municipal airstrip in Belize City, reportedly in a squall. No one was seriously injured, according to Alvaro Rosado, administrator of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. Six passengers were admitted to the hospital but were ambulatory, said Rosado in an e-mail. He said he was contacted at 5:50 p.m. about the crash. Tropic Air flight 515 was enroute to Caye Caulker and San Pedro (Ambergris Caye). The Belize municipal airstrip, used only for domestic flights, is located right on the seashore. In late December 2002 another Tropic Air Caravan ditched in the sea on approach to San Pedro. There also were 13 passengers aboard that flight. Several passengers were injured, but there were no fatalities. Tropic Air claimed it was an emergency landing. In March 2004 a four-year-old Tropic Cessna Grand Caravan was ditched near Punta Gorda -- no passengers on board and no fatalities. The airline was founded in 1979 in San Pedro by an American expat.

--Lan Sluder
www.belizefirst.com

mitty

whooah!! glad nobody was hurt!! tx for the news!

LA_FadeAway

-- shuddering at the thought of this --

I'm glad everyone is okay.

glogg

Good lord -- this is rather distressing. I'm about to fly on Tropic Air to Ambergris and then to Placencia. Are there better alternatives? The ferry, perhaps?? Maybe I just shouldn't fly if the weather seems ominous?

JeanH

You can take a water taxi from Belize City to Ambergris, but there's no water taxi/ferry service to Placencia. You can always drive to Placencia, but you're a lot more likely to get killed in a car crash than you are on that Tropic Air flight.

maryvh

What a scare I just got! My son was on the 3:20pm Tropic Air flight to San Pedro and when I saw this posting, I nearly had a heart attack! Glad to hear there were no serious injuries.

maryvh

Oops, just checked my son's itinerary and his flight this afternoon was to Placenzia. He flies to San Pedro next week.

bko61163

Lan Sluder:

Greetings. See you are quite the expert at Belize. Would you mind helping me with a few questions?

First, since airfare from municipal to San Pedro is so much less expensive, what is the best mode of transportation from international airport to the municipal one and at what cost for 4 of us?

Secondly, what is the best thing for sea lice (or whatever it is that is being described on this site) that people are getting from being in the water? Is sea safe best in your opinion?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Katie_Valk

Sea lice are present in these waters starting in March and in the past, only for short period of time. Its calld pica pica locally. But the ocean environment has changed and we've had it linger in the area for longer periods when it wasn't here before. Vaseline is cheaper and more effective than Sea Safe. Use that on exposed areas. The boat should have windex or similiar to spray on your body when you get out of the water. They like to live in skin crevasses and under garments. Take off your suit, rinse it and your body well. If you have a reaction, I always carry Eurax lotion. If it gets really bad, I use antihistimes. I've found, for me, each successive exposure is worse and worse and just the opposite of building up an immunity. You'll feel them the second you get into the water. The larvae float close to the surface.

LA_FadeAway

Glogg,
You could also take a bus (or busses) to Placencia, but it does take a while. Your other option is Maya Island Air. They have similar planes and prices, but seem to have a better safety record so far.