Passengers 11 Fatalities 13 Date 3 August 1986 Destination E. T. Joshua Airport Survivor 0 | Crew 2 Survivors 0 Number of deaths 13 Operator LIAT Passenger count 11 | |
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Summary Crashed into the sea in poor weather Aircraft type de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Series 310 Twin Otter Similar 1986 Sudan Airways F, 1986 Aerovías Guatemal, Grand Canyon Airlines Fl, Aeroflot Flight 892, 1986 British Internatio | ||
LIAT Flight 319 was a scheduled international flight from Hewanorra International Airport in Saint Lucia to E. T. Joshua Airport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. On 3 August 1986, the 19-seater de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Series 310 Twin Otter airliner serving the flight, which was operated by Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT), crashed into the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of its eleven passengers and two aircrew.
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Aircraft
The aircraft involved in the accident was a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 310, with manufacturer serial number 785, registered as V2-LCJ. This airliner first flew in 1982. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27. It can accommodate 19 passengers.
Accident
On Sunday 4 August 1986, LIAT Flight 319 departed from Hewanorra International Airport in St. Lucia, en route to the E. T. Joshua Airport (then called the Arnos Vale airport) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. On attempting to land at its destination the plane encountered difficulties due to a rainstorm. Two initial attempts were made to land the plane. The plane is believed to have crashed into the sea and sunk in water some 6,000 feet (1,800 m) deep during its third landing attempt.
Neither the bodies of the passengers and crew, nor the wreckage were discovered. The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines declared everyone on board perished, after recovery attempts failed to locate any bodies six days after the crash.
Victims
Seven of the passengers aboard Flight 319 were Vincentian nationals. There were two Americans, two Italians, one Canadian and one Antiguan. On board was former politician, Hudson Tannis, a former minister of foreign affairs and then leader of the main opposition party. Also aboard was former Miss SVG beauty contestant Donna Young.