A small business jet carrying six people crashed onto a highway in Texas, resulting in one fatality and five injuries. The NetsJet-operated Cessna Citation Latitude jet had departed from San José del Cabo, Mexico, en route to Austin, Texas, when it diverted toward Laredo. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control before crashing onto a highway approximately three miles from Laredo International Airport.
Mechanical Failure Leads to Crash
After experiencing an apparent mechanical failure, the plane struck a moving car on the roadway. Other drivers on the highway found the aircraft broken in half and tipped over, with flames visible. Footage showed two individuals using a sledgehammer and shovel to break the cockpit glass and open the plane's door.
Zayra Garza, who witnessed the accident, told KARK: "It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock." She noted that three people who appeared to be teenagers rushed out of the plane, along with someone who seemed to be a pilot.
Police confirmed that one person died, and the five other passengers sustained injuries and were transported to a local hospital. Laredo Police Public Information Officer Jose Baeza stated to CNN: "Regrettably and tragically, there is one deceased involved in this crash." He added that five police officers responding to the crash were also hospitalized for injuries sustained during the rescue operation.
