A Mexican Navy aircraft engaged in a medical transport mission crashed on Monday afternoon in Galveston Bay, Texas, resulting in the deaths of five individuals. Two people were rescued, and one remains unaccounted for from the eight individuals reportedly on board. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
Incident Details
The crash occurred on Monday afternoon in Galveston Bay, near the causeway connecting Galveston Island to the mainland. The location is approximately 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) southeast of Houston. Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft's last recorded position at 15:01 local time (21:01 GMT) over Galveston Bay, in the vicinity of Scholes International Airport.
Aircraft and Mission
The aircraft was a Mexican Navy plane operating a medical transport mission. It was carrying a young medical patient, described as a child burns victim, along with seven other individuals. Mexico's Secretariat of the Navy reported that the eight people on board included four Navy officers and four civilians, which comprised the child patient. Two of the civilian passengers were affiliated with the Michou and Mau Foundation, a nonprofit organization that facilitates aid and transport for Mexican children with severe burns to a hospital in Galveston. The foundation's mission is to provide care for Mexican children with severe burns.
Casualties and Rescue Operations
Five fatalities have been confirmed as a result of the crash. Two individuals were recovered from the crash site and transported to an area hospital for medical attention. One person remains unaccounted for.
Local yacht captain Sky Decker assisted in the rescue efforts. Decker navigated through thick fog to reach the partially submerged aircraft, transported two police officers to the scene, and aided in the extraction of an injured woman trapped within the wreckage. He reported observing one individual trapped with limited air supply and the presence of jet fuel in the water.
Emergency responders and search teams, including the U.S. Coast Guard and units from the Galveston County Sheriff's Office (dive team, crime scene unit, drone unit, and patrol), were dispatched to the scene.
Investigation and Conditions
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined and is currently under investigation. Teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are on site to conduct the inquiry.
Weather conditions in the area at the time of the crash were described as foggy, with visibility reported at approximately half a mile. Investigators have not yet concluded whether these weather conditions were a contributing factor to the incident.
Mexico's Navy issued a statement conveying condolences to the families of those who died, and the Michou and Mau Foundation also expressed solidarity with the affected families. The identities of the deceased have not been publicly released.