Da Pond Band Lead Singer Says She Flew on the Same Aircraft That Killed Her Bandmates

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Our Delvardo Emmanuel spoke with founding member and lead singer Shenia Roberts of Da Pond Band, who is sharing the heartbreak of losing bandmates who she she called family.

Shenia Roberts – Leader Singer, Da Pond Band

“  The hardest part about all of this. I came on that same plane with that same pilot hours before.”

Founding member and lead singer of Da Pond Band, Shenia Roberts, says that thought has haunted her since Friday’s tragedy.

The Andros native had traveled to North Andros around 7 a.m., to perform as a solo artist during the All-Andros Regatta weekend.

Her bandmates were scheduled to arrive later that morning, but the excitement of waiting for them quickly turned into heartbreak.

Shenia Roberts – Leader Singer, Da Pond Band

“ My cousin called me, and when she called me, she said, “Hey, Niya, where are you? you reach?” I said, “Yeah, I at a hotel. Why? What happened?” she said, “Mommy just called me and told me that a plane went down coming to Andros, and there were no survivors” and that’s when everything unraveled for me.”

Roberts says this would have been the first time Da Pond Band accompanied her as a solo artist at the festival.

She had been texting band leader Giovanni McKenzie throughout the morning.

One of their final conversations was about his flight.

Shenia Roberts – Leader Singer, Da Pond Band

“He say, “Okay, Ny, you traveling ahead of us, so let me know when you reach safe.” so I let him know that I got in safe, and he let me know that he got to the airport. He also let me know that he was a bit frustrated because the pilot was taking a long time to leave…”

Just minutes later, the plane crashed near San Andros Airport, claiming the lives of all ten people on board, including five members of Da Pond Band – Giovanni McKenzie, Rashad Storr, Mateo Winder, Toniquea Gilot, and Tra’vis Johnson.

Roberts says she didn’t just lose bandmates, she lost the people who had become her family.

Shenia Roberts – Leader Singer, Da Pond Band

“ It’s been crazy. They were my people. They were the people that I saw every day of every week. I communicated with them every day. My whole life was my band and my music.”