Music producer among 9 killed in plane crash in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dec 15 (EFE).- Nine people were killed Wednesday when a private plane crashed while making an emergency landing at a Santo Domingo airport, the plane’s operator Helidosa Aviation Group said.

Among those killed were Puerto Rican reggaeton producer José Ángel Hernández, known as Flow La Movie, who was traveling with his wife, Debbie Jiménez, and four other family members, including two children, according to data from the flight manifest seen by Efe.

The pilots, a Dominican and a Venezuelan, as well as a Dominican flight attendant also died in the crash.

The Gulfstream GIVSP jet departed La Isabela International Airport in Santo Domingo for Orlando, Florida at 5.09 pm (21:09 GMT).

The aircraft crashed about 16 minutes later while trying to make an emergency landing at the Las Americas airport, near the southern end of the runway, but outside the perimeter of the airport, according to air terminal operator Aerodom.

Brigadier General Enmanuel Souffront Tamayo, the Air Accidents Investigative Commission director, told Efe that “all the occupants died as a result of the impact” of the plane.

It is still “too early” to establish the cause of the accident, Souffront said. “We have just begun to do a survey to start the investigation process, listen to the recordings of the control tower.”

The official said the aircraft faced problems after taking off from La Isabela International Airport.

Helidosa reported the crash in a statement and also put the number of people on board at nine but said there were seven passengers and two crew members.

It also said it would collaborate with the Civil Aviation Board in the investigation into the incident.

The crash led to a two-hour closure of the Las Americas airport.

One flight was canceled while one cargo and nine passenger flights were diverted and another nine were delayed, according to information from Aerodom.

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