Nine killed in Dominican Republic plane crash

Puerto Rican music producer Jose Angel Hernandez and members of his family killed in crash outside Santo Domingo.

An ambulance is parked on the outskirts of the Las Americas International Airport where a private jet crashed on Wednesday, killing all nine people on board. [File: Ricardo Rojas/Reuters]

A private plane has crashed outside Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, killing all nine people on board, according to the airline and local media.

The victims of Wednesday’s crash included Puerto Rican music producer Jose Angel Hernandez, who is also known as Flow La Movie.

The Helidosa Aviation Group said on its Twitter account that the Gulfstream jet carrying two crew members and seven passengers had departed from El Higuero airport for Miami shortly before seeking to land at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo.

“This accident gives us great pain and sadness,” the company said.

It gave no details on why the pilots aborted the flight or possible causes of the crash.

Emergency personnel respond in the vicinity of Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo after a plane with nine people on board crashed onto one of the runways while trying to make an emergency landing. [File: Francesco Spotorno/EPA]

Following the incident, the airport shut down operations, cancelling hundreds of flights.

Local media said Hernandez’s partner and his son were among the dead, and that two of the dead were minors aged four and 13.

Helidosa Aviation said Hernandez was accompanied by six relatives and colleagues.

It identified them as Debbie Von Marie Jimenez Garcia, Keilyan Hernandez, Hayden Hernandez, Yeilianys Jeishlimar Melendez Jimenez and Jesiel Yabdiel Silva. The crew members were Luis Alberto Eljuri and Víctor Emilio Herrera, the company said.

Hernandez, 38, produced Urban Latin songs such as Te Boté, Bad Bunny, and Ozuna. He also produced La Jeepeta by Nio Garcia, Brray and Juanka, and Wow Remix, in which artists Bryant Myers, Arcangel, Nicky Jam, El Alfa and Darell participated.

Source: News Agencies