No survivors expected after crews find missing Agape Flights plane in Haiti

Update: 4:07 p.m.:

Search and rescue teams located the missing aircraft on Friday in the Haitian mountains, Agape Flights CEO Allen Speer said in a Friday afternoon video message. Officials believe none of the pilots on board survived the crash, Speer said. The cause of the aircraft's crash also remained unclear, he added. Agape would not name the pilots involved or provide any additional information for the time being to protect the privacy and dignity of families involved, Speer said. God will deliver the Agape family through this season of sorrow.

Original story:

Agape Flights, a Christian aviation ministry, lost contact with a humanitarian flight on Thursday afternoon, according to a Friday morning statement from the organization. Agape lost contact with an Embraer 110 Bandeirante, a twin turboprop light transport aircraft, over the mountains of Jeremie in western Haiti, according to the ministry. The aircraft’s registration number is N316AF, the organization said. The ministry has been in contact with the Haitian government, Agape spokesman Jacques May told WORLD on Friday. Ground and air searches are underway and will continue, he added.

Agape Flights regularly flies from Florida to serve areas of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the Bahamas, according to the group’s social media. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., released a Friday statement acknowledging the missing aircraft and asking for prayers for the southwest Florida ministry. He added a petition that the Lord protect the pilots and return them home safely.

Who was aboard the aircraft? Agape did not name the pilots involved, but asked for prayers and privacy for the families, whom the organization said are navigating the difficult situation with courage. The ministry is actively working to gather more details around the circumstances, and said information will be released as appropriate, according to a separate press release.

Dig deeper: Listen to Travis K. Kircher’s previous report for more background on Agape Flights.