A fatal incident occurred when a private jet crashed and caught fire on a busy highway in Texas. The crash resulted in the death of one individual, prompting nearby drivers to break the windows of the aircraft in an attempt to rescue any passengers trapped inside.
The aircraft, which was carrying six passengers, went down on Loop 20 highway in Laredo around 10 pm local time on Tuesday. Dramatic images showed the small plane flipped onto its side, engulfed in flames, with a thick column of smoke billowing above it after colliding with a highway barrier. The tail section was separated from the main fuselage during the crash.
Details regarding the fatality were unclear, whether the deceased person was on board the plane or on the ground. Fortunately, no injuries were initially reported among those on the ground, although five officers were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation.
The aircraft involved in the crash was identified as a Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet, according to FlightAware data. It had departed from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico at 6:19 pm local time. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Witness Zayra Garza, who was driving her colleagues home at the time of the crash, described seeing someone inside the plane attempting to break the cockpit window for escape. Subsequently, other drivers joined in the rescue efforts by trying to break the window from the outside.
Garza’s husband, along with other motorists, rushed to assist before the plane’s door was opened. Several individuals, including what appeared to be teenagers and a pilot, emerged from the aircraft. One crew member made efforts to extract an unconscious person from the wreckage.
Describing the scene as reminiscent of a movie, Garza expressed her shock and concern for the safety of those involved, fearing a potential explosion due to the fire. NetJets confirmed that the crashed plane belonged to their fleet and stated they are cooperating with the authorities in the investigation.
Owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, NetJets offers fractional ownership of private jets to clients.
