French authorities have launched an involuntary manslaughter investigation following a plane crash in Dominica that killed four French nationals, the Fort-de-France prosecutor’s office announced Monday.
The Cessna 172 aircraft crashed Sunday in mountainous terrain near the southeastern village of La Plaine shortly after departing from Douglas-Charles Airport bound for Martinique. The plane took off at 3:46 p.m., with wreckage later discovered showing no signs of survivors.
The victims include pilot Jean-Benoit A., 23, co-pilot Marving B., 41, and passengers Kylian B., 23, and Marcelline M., 25. Full names were withheld in accordance with French privacy laws.
A specialized team from Paris’ Air Transport division and the Brigade of Gendarmerie of Air Transport in Lamentin will investigate potential safety breaches or negligence that may have contributed to the crash.
Recovery operations, hampered by rugged terrain, are scheduled to begin Tuesday under the direction of specialized teams from the Martinique Fire Brigade.
The investigation will focus on whether violations of safety protocols or prudence requirements played a role in the incident, according to the prosecutor’s office in Fort-de-France.