The Criminal Court of Nicoya dismissed the case opened after the plane crash near the Punta Islita airport, in Nandayure, Guanacaste, in December 2017, killing 12 people: 10 American tourists and the two Costa Rican crew members.
“The Prosecutor’s Office of Nicoya confirmed that, after the plane crash, on December 31, 2017, the investigation 17-001671-0069-PE was opened; however, the dismissal was requested,” the Public Ministry informed through its press office.
“It was not possible to assess whether or not there was any human error. In the same way, it is not known if there was a mechanical failure,” said the Prosecutor’s Office.
They also clarified that although at the criminal level the case could not be continued, the process can continue with the case at the civil level.
La Nacion reports that for the moment it is unknown if the families of the victims (passengers) will take the case the civil route to make an economic claim, since the publication could not locate any relatives of the deceased, despite making multiple calls.
On December 31, 2017, a Cessna Grand Caravan plane operated by Nature Air, left the Punta Islita airfield headed for the Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose.
A few minutes after takeoff, at 12:10 pm, the aircraft crashed in a mountainous area. The cause is unknown until now since the General Directorate of Civil Aviation is still working on the report that it will deliver to the Technical Council of Civil Aviation (Cetac).
The victims of the accident were the pilots Juan Manuel Retana Chinchilla (52 years) and Emma Ramos Calderón (26), both Costa Ricans and members of two American families, tourists visiting Costa Rica: Leslie (50), Michell (52), Ari Moses (16) and Hannah Mae Weiss (19); and, Bruce (50), Irene (51), William (18), Zachary (19) and Mathew Steinberg (13).
