Five members of the Da Pond Band were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas on July 10, 2026, when a Flamingo Air flight crashed in North Andros, killing all 10 people on board. The airline has suspended all flights following the disaster.
Crash Details and Victims
The small plane departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau and was en route to San Andros, a flight that typically takes under 20 minutes. The Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority confirmed the crash site in North Andros. Among the deceased were band members Giovanni McKenzie, Mateo Winder, Rashad Storr, Tonique Gilot, and Travis Johnson, as well as DJ Melvin Henfield, also known as DJ Fresh. Three other passengers, not performers, have not been publicly identified.
Tributes from Band Members
Da Pond Band singer Shaniese Miller told CBS News: “I’m still shocked that they’re gone. I can’t believe it. They’re my family and I never expected that to happen.” She had performed with the band the previous week in Nassau, saying, “We were having so much fun, and after the second set, they were just saying how they were so excited to go to Andros.”
Another vocalist, Shenia Roberts, had arrived on the island earlier that day on the same plane with the same pilot. She told CBS: “You could tell it was an old plane. But we didn’t have any issues.” Speaking about her bandmates, she said: “They were the people that I talked to in the morning, in the night. They were my friends, my confidants. And I was waiting on them.” She also told local outlet Our News: “It’s been crazy. They were my people. They were the people that I saw every day of every week. I communicated with them every day. My whole life was my band and my music.”
Official Responses and Investigation
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis paid tribute in a statement on X, writing he was “praying for the families who are now facing unbearable grief.” He added: “This is a painful moment. The families affected deserve compassion, privacy, and support as the investigation proceeds.” The Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union said: “Among the dearly departed are some of the talented and vibrant members of our entertainment community, including members of The Pond Band and a DJ. Their passion, dedication, and artistry touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas.”
Flamingo Air suspended all flights after two emergency incidents on the same day: the fatal crash and a separate plane that caught fire after landing in Nassau. CBS reported that Bahamian investigators are looking into the cause of the crash.
