At around 2:00 p.m., Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the discovery of the missing Cessna-type light aircraft, registration number TI-GER, which disappeared earlier in the day. Pilots flying over Santa Ana and Escazú spotted the plane on Pico Blanco hill, a remote and mountainous area. “The plane has been identified on the mountain peak. Fog banks are moving in, but the red part of the tail is visible,” one pilot reported.
Luis Miranda, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation, confirmed that the Cessna 206 aircraft had departed from Barra de Tortuguero in Costa Rica’s Caribbean region. Initially bound for Tobías Bolaños Airport in Pavas, the plane was redirected to Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela due to unsuitable landing conditions. Communication with the aircraft was lost at approximately 12:30 p.m. while the control tower was issuing instructions.
Emergency protocols were activated immediately. However, the ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter), which could have expedited the search, was not turned on. Initial overflights by Air Surveillance yielded no results until a private aircraft reported the sighting.
Rescue teams, including canine and paramedic units from the Costa Rican Red Cross, have been deployed to the accident site in Pico Blanco. The rugged terrain, steep inclines, and dense vegetation are expected to complicate access.
Everardo Carmona, a pilot from Green Airways who flew over the crash site and recorded a video, said, “The plane is quite intact. As far as I could see, the tail is whole. Hopefully, they will be able to access it as soon as possible. It does not appear to be in pieces—it looks intact, and there is no fire.”
The aircraft, operated by AeroCaribe Air Charter, was carrying six occupants, including the pilot. Their conditions and identities remain unknown at this time. Authorities are expected to provide updates on their status and the progress of rescue operations in the coming hours.
The Cessna 206, a light aircraft measuring 8.6 meters in length with an 11-meter wingspan, is commonly used for short-haul flights and light cargo transport. Civil Aviation records indicate the plane had recently passed technical checks. However, this same aircraft was involved in an incident in August 2021 when a vulture struck its windshield during landing maneuvers at Tobías Bolaños Airport, injuring four passengers.
As rescue efforts continue, authorities are working against challenging conditions and fog, with hopes of reaching the crash site soon.
