October 15, 2026 | City Chic Island Kick
They boarded in Nassau expecting Panama to be their next stop. Instead, an earthquake changed the route—and Bahamian passengers say the hours that followed left them exhausted, frustrated and struggling to get help.
Their Copa Airlines flight was diverted to Barranquilla, Colombia, on October 9. Passenger Lareinae Toote said she boarded shortly after 11:45 a.m. and remained aboard until 11:20 p.m., according to The Tribune. That timeline covers her entire time on the aircraft, including the journey—not twelve hours parked in Colombia. (tribune242.com)
“Almost twelve hours!”
“I boarded shortly after 11.45am, and I did not get off that plane until 11.20pm. Almost twelve hours!” Toote wrote in a Facebook account quoted by the newspaper.
She alleged inadequate food and water, intermittent air conditioning and repeated assurances of departure within another half-hour. She also reported police involvement and passengers requiring medical assistance.
Another traveller, Elaina Cuffy-Stuart, alleged unequal access to refreshments and assistance, describing the treatment as discriminatory. She said Spanish-language communication left English-speaking travellers confused, and that accommodation and rebooking help were missing after disembarkation.
These are passenger allegations reported by The Tribune, not independently established findings of discrimination or airline misconduct. (tribune242.com)
Foreign Affairs confirmed Bahamians were aboard
The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly acknowledged the situation in an October 10 statement carried by ZNS.
The ministry confirmed it was tracking a Nassau–Panama City Copa flight diverted to Barranquilla with Bahamian nationals aboard. It also provided a dedicated consular officer’s contact for the flight crisis response.
At the time of that statement, the ministry said it had received no reports of Bahamians in the earthquake-affected areas of southern Panama. Its confirmation establishes the diversion and the presence of Bahamians; it does not independently verify the complaints about conditions aboard. (znsbahamas.com)
Other diverted passengers were also speaking out
Separate reporting from Colombia shows that frustration extended beyond the Nassau flight.
In an interview with Blu Radio, Steve Téllez described a different Copa service, originating in Bogotá, spending more than five hours parked in Barranquilla after being diverted from Panama.
He said passengers were told there was no available gate or staircase for disembarkation, and that the aircraft was waiting its turn for fuel. Supplies were running low, he said, adding to his concern while travelling with his mother, who was over 80.
His account does not verify what happened on the Bahamian passengers’ aircraft. It does, however, document another prolonged onboard wait at the same airport during the disruption. (bluradio.com)
What has Copa said?
Copa’s website has acknowledged earthquake-related disruption at Tocumen International Airport and advised customers to check their flight status. Blu Radio also reported the airline’s announcement that returning diverted aircraft would receive priority after Tocumen reopened, with further delays possible. (copaair.com, bluradio.com)
Those operational announcements do not answer the detailed Bahamian complaints. A public response specifically addressing those allegations was not located in the sources reviewed for this article.
The questions that remain
An emergency diversion can change a journey in minutes. For passengers, the uncertainty can last much longer.
The accounts raise questions about how refreshments were distributed, how information reached English-speaking travellers, and what practical assistance awaited people after they finally left the aircraft.
The official statement reviewed does not give a Bahamian passenger count or establish when everyone reached their destination. Those details, along with Copa’s explanation of the onboard and ground arrangements, remain needed to complete the picture.
For now, the diversion is confirmed. The passengers’ complaints deserve answers—and the allegations of discriminatory treatment require investigation before conclusions are drawn.
Join the Conversation
Your perspective matters—share your thoughts and connect with the City Chic community.