2008 Aéreo Ruta Maya crash

On August 24, 2008, an Aéreo Ruta Maya Cessna Caravan 208 carrying 10 American aid workers, two Guatemalan aid agency representatives, pilot and copilot en route from La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala City to El Estor, crashed 45 minutes after take off. The crash killed all occupants but three aid workers. The source of the crash was engine failure, as was called in by the pilot, who attempted to make an emergency landing according to the Guatemalan civil aviation director Jose Carlos. The aid workers were members of Choice Humanitarian, a West Jordan, Utah based humanitarian group on their way to the village of Sepamac.

Crash Casualties and Survivors

Injured

• April Marie Jensen and daughter Sarah Jensen (19).
• Dan Lilljenquist (president and chief operating officer of Focus Services of Roy, Utah a company that handles customer service calls for other companies).

Deceased

• Pilot Monica Bonilla and co-pilot Fernando Estrada.
• Guatemalan CHOICE Humanitarian representatives; Javier Rabanales and Walfred de Rabanales.
• Liz Johnson, (wife of CHOICE Humanitarian Chief Executive, Chris Johnson).
• Roger Jensen (48), maintenance manager of Smyth Companies and son, Zachary, (from Amery, Wisconsin).
• Four employees of Focus Services company, two from Utah and two from another call center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
  • Cody Odekirk.
  • John Carter.
  • Jeff Reppe.
  • Lydia Silvia.

References

• J. Lara, E. Paxtor, G. Palencia. "Mueren 10 en accidente aéreo" (in Spanish) 25 August 2008
• Associated Press "5 Americans Die In Guatemala Plane Crash" CBSNews 25 August 2008
• "10 killed in Guatemalan plane crash " CNN 25 August 2008
• "Americans die in Guatemala crash" BBCNews 25 August 2008
• Associated Press "10 Killed in Guatemalan Plane Crash" NEWYorkTimes

External links

• Aéreo Ruta Maya S.A. (official site)