UMVA has learned that a tragic incident unfolded in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, as a private jet carrying MLB All-Star Yadier Molina crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot and co-pilot on board.
The U.S. registered Gulfstream G200 Galaxy executive jet had declared an emergency shortly after departing La Romana International Airport, bound for Austin, Texas, and was returning to make an emergency landing when the accident occurred. The airport released a statement confirming the incident.
Dramatic videos posted on social media showed the jet attempting to land, with the plane appearing to lose its landing gear; its belly skidding on a stretch of grass next to the runway, then bursting into flames as it came to a stop. The footage revealed the intense moment of the crash.
Molina spoke about the tragic incident, writing, “My condolences to the pilots and their families. This plane was on its way to pick up me, my family, and friends in Texas to return to Puerto Rico. This is all so heartbreaking.” The 10-time MLB All-Star had been in Round Rock, Texas, on Saturday to watch his son play in the UIL Texas high school baseball state championships.
The pilots identified as Pilot Erick Javier Diago and co-pilot Rudy Ghazal, both U.S. citizens, died in the accident. The airport confirmed that no passengers were on board the ill-fated flight. The plane had declared an emergency when it was about 16 nautical miles southwest of La Romana, and turned back to La Romana International Airport.
Firefighters were among the first emergency personnel who rushed to the scene to tackle the fire. The Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission are investigating the cause of the crash, working to piece together the events leading up to the tragic incident.
