The Costa Rican government said the crash took place in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, a tourist destination about 140 miles west of the capital, San José.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — A plane crash in Costa Rica on Sunday killed 10 Americans and two local pilots, the Costa Rican government said.
The cause of the crash was not yet known, the country’s security ministry said. It took place in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, which is popular with tourists, in the province of Guanacaste, about 140 miles west of the capital of San José.
“There are no people alive,” Security Minister Gustavo Mata said, adding that autopsies would be needed to confirm the identities of the victims because their remains were badly burned.
Enio Cubillo, the director of Costa Rica’s civil aviation agency, told local news media that the aircraft was operated by the local company Nature Air.
Punta Islita, on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape.
