A Global Aerolienas Damojh (Cuba) Boeing 737-200, performing flight from Havana to Holguin on behalf of Cubana de Aviacion, was departing out of Jose Marti International Airport, when it lost height and impacted ground shortly after takeoff. Three surviving passengers were taken to hospital with serious injuries, however succumbed to their injuries in the following days. As a result, all 112 occupants on board sustained fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. Initial findings indicate that the flight crew had pitched the aircraft too steeply during take-off which resulted in a stall, however the official investigation is ongoing.

European authorities have raised concerns regarding Venezuela’s ability to maintain safety levels within its aviation industry and air transport operations. In recent years, Venezuela has been struggling with its own economic crisis which has prompted numerous international carriers to withdraw services from the country. The European Commission has stated that it will continue to consult with operators and the Instituto Nacional de Aeronautica Civil to verify compliance and safety standards throughout the nation and has confirmed it will take corrective action if deemed necessary.

The last sea vessel in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-370 has departed the search zone, signalling the end of the secondary effort to locate the missing Boeing 777 aircraft. US company, Ocean Infinity, had offered to locate MH-370 for no fee after the official government backed search was terminated in 2017. Whilst no new compelling evidence was discovered, the area in which the aircraft was likely to have come down had shrunk due to additional drift analysis data.