12 passenger killed in Costa Rica plane crash

A small passenger plane crashed in Costa Rica, killing all 12 people on board, most of whom were foreign tourists. The country's security Ministry said the aircraft, a single-propellor Cessna 208 Caravan, came down in a mountainous area near the Pacific coastal beach town of Punta Islita in the Guanacaste peninsula. The spokesman, Carlos Hidalgo, said on his Facebook page. It is a private plane



with 10 foreign passengers and two local crew members, a separate security ministry statement said. Punta Islita, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape.

The US embassy said it was aware of the crash and was trying to confirm if any US citizens are on board.