Three evangelical missionaries from America died when their light aircraft burst into flames after crashing in a field in Guatemala.
The plane reportedly fell from the sky a few minutes after take-off in the municipality of San Francisco in Peten Department on 13th February.
An intense fire prevented any rescue of those on board, Peten governor Luis Burgos revealed.
Grim photos of the wreckage show the plane still on fire and reduced to charred ashes by the blaze.
Officers from the National Civil Police eventually put out the flames so the victims’ bodies could be retrieved.
Local media said the three had just taken off from San Francisco – where they had been doing charitable work at a hospital – and were flying to Guatemala City.
The dead were named as pilot James DeHart, 64, Bonnie DeHart, 64, and 66-year-old Helen Shawn Coon.
Married couple James and Bonnie reportedly belonged to an evangelical church called the Ministerio Nueva Generacion (New Generation Ministry).
The church paid tribute to them, writing in a social media post: “Rest in Peace, American missionary couple James DeHart and Bonnie DeHart, who died this morning in a plane crash in San Francisco, Peten.
“Apparently they took off on a runway in said municipality, where they have a hospital, and were heading to the capital city of Guatemala.
“They were part of the non-denominational Organizacion Cristiana Evangelica (Evangelical Christian Organisation), which provides spiritual and physical help to people in need around the world.
“For many years the missionaries have helped to meet the needs of many people who have been victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, diseases, and famine with the purpose of sharing the love of God, through his son, Jesus Christ.”
A social media account called Amor y Pasion por las Almas (Love and Passion for Souls) wrote: “They left their land to come here to Guatemala and be missionaries.
“But today we received the sad news that they had an accident in their own plane and perished and now they are resting for that glorious day where they will rise again first.”
