Cozumel, Q.R. — Federal Aviation personnel are investigating the cause of a plane crash on the island of Cozumel. The pilot of a small plane that went down Sunday near the Cozumel airport walked away without injuries. Local authorities say the Cessna PA32 was without passengers when it went down in a heavily treed area near the airport.
The accident happened on the opposite side of a concrete wall in a thickly treed area Sunday afternoon near an airport terminal. Aircraft pilot Hermes “R” was the only person on board at the time of the incident. Civil Protection personnel arrived with machetes to cut trees in order to make a path and access the plane. Authorities are investigating the reason for the crash.
In a statement, the Secretary of Citizen Security (SSC) confirmed no injuries and no passengers. “Authorities responded to an air accident near Cozumel airport with no injuries, they said.
“The Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana de Q.Roo (SSC), together with Municipal Police, Civil Protection, firefighters and National Guard, responded in a coordinated manner to the report of an air accident near the Cozumel International Airport.
“At the scene, authorities and personnel from the Command of the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) were already responding to the incident which occurred with a Cessna PA32 type aircraft, registration XB-IAS, model 260, series 32.
“The accident occurred near the 30th terminal of the airport where it was confirmed that the aircraft was manned only by the pilot, who was unharmed. There were no passengers on board.
“Specialized personnel are preparing the corresponding reports to clarify the events. It is important to note that an ambulance, identified as CH#01, went to the site in anticipation of providing support, however, the pilot indicated that he did not require medical attention as no injuries had been recorded.”
The collapse, initially attributed to a technical failure, is being investigated by specialists to determine the exact cause. The area has been secured and the corresponding expert reports are underway.
