Tri-City Herald Logo

Richland missionary dies in Honduras plane crash | Tri-City Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Local News
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Hanford
    • Northwest
    • Nation & World
    • Obituary Listings
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • Health
    • Weird
    • Photos
    • Weather
    • Videos
    • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • Preps
    • Prep Countdown
    • Seattle Seahawks
    • Seattle Mariners
    • Tri-City Americans
    • Tri-City Dust Devils
    • Tri-Cities Fever
    • Hydros
    • Photos
    • Outdoors
    • Blogs
    • College
    • NFL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NHL
    • MLS
    • Golf
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Public Records
    • National Business
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Local Arts
    • Celebrity
    • Mr. Movie
    • Movie Times
    • Movie News
    • Music News
    • Calendar
    • Submit Event
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Contests
    • Living
    • Food & Wine
    • Wine Press NW
    • Antique Appraisals
    • Health & Science
    • Home & Garden
    • Light Notes
    • Religion
    • Spiritual Life
    • Births
    • Engagements
    • Weddings
    • Anniversaries
    • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Editorials
    • National
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Submit Letter
    • Guest Columnists
  • Obituaries

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Local

Richland missionary dies in Honduras plane crash

By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2011 12:00 AM

Flynn Tomchuk was drawn to the Central American country of Honduras several times as a missionary for the Jehovah's Witness congregation in Richland, most recently for a year-and-a-half on the island of Roatan as a full-time minister.

His father, Robert Tomchuk, said his son was impressed by the love the local people had for the Bible and God's word.

It was in pursuit of his own passion for spreading that word that Flynn Tomchuk died Monday at age 47.

Tomchuk was one of 14 people killed when a small Honduran commercial airliner crashed near the nation's capital.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Tri-City Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Others among the dead were former and current senior government officials -- prompting the government to declare three days of national mourning -- and a union leader, The Associated Press reported.

The Central American Airlines plane was flying to the Toncontin international airport in Tegucigalpa when it crashed Monday morning in Las Mesitas, a town about three miles south of the airport.

The cause of the crash is being investigated, but there was fog in the area at the time. Toncontin airport is considered dangerous because of its short runway and surrounding hills.

The Let L-410 Turbolet was carrying two pilots and 12 passengers, including Rodolfo Rovelo, assistant secretary for Public Works, Jose Israel Salinas, a leader of the United Workers Federation of Honduras and former Economy Secretary Carlos Chain, said airline manager Felix Pacheco.

"I'm destroyed, in shock, because of what happened," Pacheco told the AP.

At least 10 planes have crashed in and around the Toncontin airport since October 1989, when a Honduran commercial jet went down, killing 131 people.

Toncontin's short runway, old navigation equipment and neighboring hills make it one of the world's more dangerous international airports. It was built on the southern edge of hilly Tegucigalpa in 1948 with a runway less than 5,300 feet long.

Also among the passengers were Flynn Tomchuk and two fellow elders from the English-speaking Jehovah's Witness congregation on Roatan, Robert Tomchuk said.

Flynn Tomchuk's wife, Tanya, his daughter, Alisha Tomchuk Bodden, and her husband, Robbie Bodden, were with him on Roatan but not on the flight.

Robert Tomchuk said his son was excited about the religious work he was doing on Roatan. He had been there a few times before -- staying longer each time.

Flynn Tomchuk was a co-owner of Sunscapes Inc., a landscaping firm based in Richland but had left that behind for the time being to become a full-time minister.

"He was out proclaiming the good news of God's kingdom," his father said.

  Comments  

Videos

This Tri-Cities mother is working to change a law after her daughter’s death

These two spots could be the future location for the Tri-Cities Public Market

View More Video

Trending Stories

Richland playoff game canceled after Snoqualmie Pass closes

February 22, 2019 05:32 PM

Winter storm watch issued for Tri-Cities

February 22, 2019 05:54 PM

Medvedeva wins Russian figure skating to revive worlds hope

February 22, 2019 05:15 AM

Million dollar deal would give TRAC a new name

February 22, 2019 06:23 PM

ATM bandit raids 100 Kennewick bank accounts. More than $75,000 stolen

February 22, 2019 05:36 PM

Read Next

Here’s how much snow the Tri-Cities can expect in the next few days
Video media Created with Sketch.

Local

Here’s how much snow the Tri-Cities can expect in the next few days

By Annette Cary

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 23, 2019 05:05 PM

The National Weather Service says snow is likely in the Tri-Cities this weekend and Sunday into Monday but with little accumulation until Tuesday. A rain and snow mix is forecast after that.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Tri-City Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LOCAL

This ‘pimp’ used drugs and threats to prostitute women in Tri-Cities, prosecutors say

Crime

This ‘pimp’ used drugs and threats to prostitute women in Tri-Cities, prosecutors say

February 23, 2019 05:00 PM

Death Notices

Death notices for Feb. 24

February 23, 2019 04:12 PM
BNSF train cars hauling garbage derail in Pasco

Local

BNSF train cars hauling garbage derail in Pasco

February 23, 2019 11:39 AM

Crime

This donation could help save your life in the water

February 22, 2019 07:34 PM
Richland boys to play Saturday after postponement. Chiawana, Kamiakin girls games set

Sports

Richland boys to play Saturday after postponement. Chiawana, Kamiakin girls games set

February 22, 2019 07:26 PM
There’s still lead in water at Mid-Columbia schools, report shows. How worrisome is it?

Education

There’s still lead in water at Mid-Columbia schools, report shows. How worrisome is it?

February 22, 2019 06:23 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Tri-City Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Digital Solutions
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Contact Us
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story