A Mexican Navy plane on a medical mission crashed into the waters of Galveston Bay on Monday afternoon, killing at least five people – including a 2-year-old child – and triggering a major search and rescue operation along the Texas coast, US and Mexican authorities said.
The plane, a Beechcraft King Air 350i operated by the Mexican Navy, was carrying a young medical patient and seven others when it crashed near Galveston, about 80.5 kilometers southeast of Houston.
What happened near Galveston Bay?
The Mexican Navy plane crashed Monday afternoon near the base of a levee along the Texas coast, near Scholes International Airport. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the plane crashed into Galveston Bay, prompting an immediate response from federal, state and local authorities.
Coast Guard officials said at least five people died in the crash and four others were rescued alive from the water.
Search and rescue teams continue to work in the area as investigators assess the wreckage.
Who were the passengers on board?
Authorities said the plane was on a medical transport mission.
“The plane was transporting burn patients,” Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen said.
Two of the passengers on the Mexican Navy plane were members of the Michou and Mau Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides aid to Mexican children who have suffered severe burns.
Coast Guard officials said a two-year-old child was among those who died in the accident.
What do the flight logs show?
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar, the plane took off from Mérida in the Mexican state of Yucatan at 18:46 GMT and was last seen at 21:01 GMT over Galveston Bay near Scholes International Airport.
The Mexican Navy said it was working with the Mexican consulate in Houston to support the response and help families affected by the crash.
How many people were saved?
Search and rescue operations led by the Coast Guard rescued four people alive, a spokesman for Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston told CNN.
Emergency responders from several agencies, including the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, were called to the scene.
“The incident remains under investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post, adding that the public should avoid the area to allow emergency responders to work safely.
Is the cause of the crash known?
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Mexican navy said in a statement that the plane was supporting a medical mission and suffered an “accident,” adding that it would investigate what led to the crash.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, teams from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the scene.
Did the weather play a role?
It is not yet clear whether weather conditions contributed to the crash. However, the Galveston area has been experiencing persistent fog for the past few days.
Cameron Batiste, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said fog moved into the area around 2:30 p.m. Monday, reducing visibility to about half a mile.
The fog is expected to last until Tuesday morning, he said.
Why did the incident attract wider attention?
Galveston, a popular beach destination, rarely experiences plane crashes of the magnitude involving international military aircraft. The involvement of a medical mission – and the death of both adults and a small child – added to the gravity of the incident.
