What happened
A mission conducted by the Costa Rican Ministry of National Security ended in an emergency ditching following a mechanical failure. The aircraft, operated for government purposes, departed from San José-Juan Santamaria Airport at 07:10 local time. The flight was intended to provide overflight coverage of the Tortuguero National Park.
Onboard were two pilots, one park official, and three photographers. While the flight was in the cruise phase over the ocean near Parismina, a sudden engine explosion occurred. This catastrophic failure left the crew unable to maintain altitude or navigate to the closest available airfield. Consequently, the crew performed an emergency ditching approximately 500 meters from the coastline.
Findings
Following the impact with the water, all six occupants managed to escape the wreckage and swim to the nearby shore. While there were no fatalities among the passengers or crew, the aircraft subsequently sank into the sea and remains lost.