One person was killed when a small passenger plane caught fire and crash landed along a major Texas highway on Tuesday, leaving first responders and quick-thinking motorists desperately trying to save the others onboard.
There were six passengers onboard the Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet when it came hurtling down on Texas State Highway Loop 20 at around 10pm, according to Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department.
One person was killed in the collision, and five officers were rushed to the hospital for smoke inhalation in the aftermath.
Authorities are now probing what may have caused the small plane to crash, hours after it departed from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico at 6.19pm. It was on its way to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport when it crashed.
Witnesses had reported seeing the plane falling from the sky over Highway 59 already on fire, KIITV reports.
Shocking video shared online then showed the small aircraft laying on its side with flames bursting out its underbelly, sending smoke billowing through the air, as rescuers used whatever tools they had handy to try to break open the windshield.
Others were seen prying open the door, at which point at least two men were seen stepping out of the wreckage.
Footage shared online then showed the small aircraft laying upside down with flames bursting out its underbelly, sending smoke billowing through the air, as rescuers tried to break open the windshield
A passenger was seen jumping out of the wreckage on Tuesday night
The harrowing footage was taken by Zayra Garza, an esthetician, who was driving her coworkers home when she came upon the plane crash.
She said she began shooting video as she approached the scene and then stopped her vehicle across from the crippled jet, which was on fire.
She saw someone inside the plane trying to break the cockpit window to escape. Soon, people got out of their vehicles to try to smash the window from the outside.
Garza’s husband then jumped out of their vehicle to help, when Garza saw the door of the plane open.
She said three people who looked to be teenagers rushed out, followed by someone who appeared to be a pilot. Another member of the crew tried to pull from the plane a person who seemed to be unconscious .
‘It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,’ Garza said.
‘What was worrying me was the fire,’ she said. ‘I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.’
Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of any injuries to those in vehicles on the highway.
NetJets said in a statement that the crash involved one of its aircraft and it is working with authorities. NetJets is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and allows people to buy part ownership in private jets.
As the investigation now continues, the northbound and southbound lanes of Loop 20 remain closed.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
