UMVA has learned that a devastating small plane crash on a Texas highway has claimed the life of one person, while five others were injured in the harrowing incident.
The plane, a Cessna Citation Latitude jet operated by a private company, was traveling from San José del Cabo, Mexico, to Austin, Texas, when it suddenly diverted towards Laredo and crashed onto the highway, approximately three miles from Laredo International Airport.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the plane appeared to have lost contact with air traffic control before it crashed, and eyewitnesses described the scene as resembling something out of a movie.
The plane hit a moving car on the roadway, broke in half, and tipped over, catching fire and causing chaos among drivers on the highway, who rushed to the scene to help.
Footage showed bystanders using a sledgehammer and shovel to break the cockpit window and open the plane's door, freeing those trapped inside, including three people who appeared to be teenagers and a pilot.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the fire department managed to put out the flames, but not before one person had succumbed to their injuries, while the other five passengers were rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
The rescue operation was also complicated by the fact that five police officers responding to the crash were injured and had to be hospitalized, adding to the tragic aftermath of the incident.
The authorities have confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, with a focus on determining the reason behind the plane's mechanical failure and loss of contact with air traffic control.
