Galveston, United States: A Mexican Navy medical aircraft crashed into Galveston Bay on Monday afternoon while attempting to land near Scholes International Airport, killing at least five people, including a young child, and injuring others, officials and first responders said.
The Beechcraft Super King Air 350, operating on a humanitarian medical mission from Mérida, Mexico, was transporting eight people including four Mexican Navy personnel, four civilians and pediatric patients when it went down in the waters off the Galveston Causeway shortly before 3:20 p.m. local time.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy, search and rescue efforts involved multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Texas Department of Public Safety, and local emergency teams.
Initial reports confirmed five fatalities, among them was a 2-year-old child being transported for specialized burn treatment. Two survivors were pulled from the wreckage and taken to local hospitals with injuries; a 27-year-old woman was rescued unharmed. At least one person remained unaccounted for late Monday evening, according to Coast Guard officials.
The Mexican Consulate in Houston later released the names of the confirmed deceased, emphasizing liaison support with U.S. authorities and family notification efforts.
The flight was part of a medical transfer mission facilitated by the Michou y Mau Foundation, a nonprofit that arranges care for severely burned children, including treatment at Shriners Children’s Texas Hospital in Galveston.
At the time of the accident, dense fog and extremely limited visibility were reported in the area, conditions that are under review by investigators as a potential contributing factor.
Federal and local authorities have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the crash. The FAA and NTSB are collecting data from the scene, including flight records and communications, while the Mexican Navy has stated it will conduct its own inquiry into the incident.
Local officials have urged the public to steer clear of the crash zone so that emergency responders and investigators can work without hindrance.
