A Mexican Navy plane carrying a child medical patient crashed off the Texas coast near Galveston on Monday, killing at least five people, while two others were pulled from the water alive.

Four of the people aboard were Navy officers, and four were civilians, including a child, Mexico's Navy said in a statement.

US Coast Guard Petty Officer Luke Baker did not identify which passengers had died.

Two of the people aboard the King Air ANX 1209 were members from the Michou and Mau Foundation, a nonprofit that provides aid to Mexican children with severe burns.

The group was believed to be en route to Shriners Children's Hospital in Galveston for specialized burns treatment.

The crash took place Monday afternoon near the base of a causeway, a raised roadway typically built over water, near Galveston, along the Texas coast about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The cause is under investigation.

Mexico's Navy said in a statement that the plane was helping with a medical mission and had an 'accident'. It had been flying from Monterrey, Mexico, to Scholes International Airport in Galveston.

Mexico's Marines said in a statement that it is sending 'its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.'

Preliminary data shows the aircraft disappeared from radar over the bay around 3:02pm with the first 911 call placed at 3:07pm.

Teams from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have arrived at the scene of the crash, the Texas Department of Public Safety said on X.

A spokesperson from NTSB said they are 'aware of this accident and are gathering information about it.'

The Galveston County Sheriff's Office said officials from its dive team, crime scene unit, drone unit, and patrol were responding to the crash.

It said in a post on Facebook that the public should avoid the area so emergency responders can work safely.

Galveston is an island that is a popular beach destination.

It's not immediately clear if weather was a factor. The area had been experiencing foggy conditions over the past few days, according to Cameron Batiste, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

He said that at about 2:30pm on Monday, a fog came in that left visibility at half a mile.

Source: Daily Mail