Cessna Citation jet crashes onto Texas highway
প্রকাশ: বুধবার । জুন ১৭, ২০২৬
A business jet crashed onto a highway in southern Texas late Tuesday while approaching Laredo International Airport, killing one person and injuring others in a scene of chaos as bystanders and emergency crews rushed to pull survivors from the burning wreckage.
The twin-engine Cessna 680 Citation Latitude, registered N523QS and operated by fractional ownership company NetJets, went down on the Loop 20 highway near the Saunders Street and Clark Boulevard intersection shortly after 10:00 p.m. local time (0300 GMT Wednesday), coming to rest on its side against a barrier before catching fire.
The aircraft had departed Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico and was nearing the end of its flight when it crashed, according to flight tracking data.
Six people were on board at the time, said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department. One person was confirmed dead, though authorities said it was not yet clear whether the victim was a passenger on the aircraft or someone on the ground.
Video from the scene showed flames engulfing the jet as occupants struggled to escape through the windows. Motorists who had stopped on the highway, along with arriving emergency responders, smashed cockpit glass and forced open a door to free those trapped inside. Witnesses said three young passengers emerged first, followed by a pilot, while another crew member was seen dragging an unconscious person clear of the fire.
The survivors were taken to the hospital with injuries of varying severity. Five police officers were also hospitalised for smoke inhalation sustained during the rescue. No injuries among motorists on the ground were reported, despite the jet coming down on a busy stretch of road.
Loop 20 remained closed in both directions Wednesday as fire crews worked to extinguish remaining hotspots and secure the wreckage.
The US National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have opened a joint investigation into the cause of the crash. Preliminary flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending rapidly and at unusually low ground speed in the moments before impact.
Source: AP/WRAL