One person was killed and five others were injured after a private jet crash-landed on a Texas highway Tuesday night, sending a fireball into the night sky near the U.S.-Mexico border — and prompting ordinary citizens to spring into action before emergency crews could even arrive.
The NetJets-operated Cessna Citation Latitude went down on Loop 20 in Laredo shortly after 10 p.m., striking a moving car before skidding across multiple lanes and coming to rest upside down and engulfed in flames. Six people were aboard. Five survivors were transported to a local hospital in stable condition. One did not make it.
Video circulating online captured the harrowing scene: a jet tipped to its side, consumed by fire, with bystanders refusing to stand by and watch. One man used a sledgehammer, another a shovel to try to shatter the cockpit glass and open the aircraft’s door in a desperate bid to pull survivors from the wreckage. Their actions, caught on camera, are the kind of American grit that doesn’t make many headlines but should.
“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” said witness Zayra Garza, who had been driving her co-workers home when she stumbled onto the crash. “What was worrying me was the fire. I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”
According to flight tracking data from FlightRadar24, the aircraft departed San José del Cabo, Mexico, at approximately 6:18 p.m. local time, bound for Austin. It diverted toward Laredo after the airport tower reported a mechanical issue and lost contact with the plane. Minutes later, it was down.
NetJets — the private aviation company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway — confirmed it is cooperating with authorities. Federal agencies, including the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board, are investigating. Some first responders suffered smoke inhalation.
Loop 20 remained closed through Wednesday morning, with closures stretching from Saunders southbound to Highway 359 northbound. Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Treviño urged residents to be patient and avoid speculation while investigators do their work.
“As mayor, I understand the importance of allowing investigators to complete a thorough and objective review before drawing any conclusions,” Treviño said. “Aviation investigations take time.”
“Regrettably and tragically there is one deceased involved in this crash,” Laredo Police Public Information Officer Jose Baeza told reporters. “What we have tonight is a tragic event.”
Those involved in the crash have not yet been publicly identified pending next-of-kin notification.
Read the full article at The Daily Wire →📄Source document: FlightRadar24→3 reports
The Washington Post (National)Independent🔒Center4 days agoA private jet crashed on a highway near Laredo, Texas, killing one person. The aircraft was en route to Austin and carried six people. Video footage shows the crash involving a lamppost and a car, with the plane breaking in two.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a crash incident without taking a stance, providing factual details about the event without editorializing or emphasizing any particular perspective.
The New York Times (US)Independent🔒Center4 days agoA private jet crashed on a highway in Laredo, Texas, killing one person and injuring five others. The plane's crew had reported mechanical issues and low fuel while flying from Mexico to Austin, Texas.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on an accident with no political implications or framing. It provides factual details without opinion or bias.
The Daily WireIndependentCenter4 days agoA private jet operated by NetJets crashed on a Texas highway near the U.S.-Mexico border, killing one person and injuring five others. Bystanders rushed to the scene and attempted to rescue survivors before emergency services arrived. The incident occurred on Loop 20 in Laredo around 10 p.m. Video footage showed the jet engulfed in flames, with witnesses describing the chaotic scene.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a tragic accident and highlights the heroic actions of bystanders without taking a political stance. It focuses on the event itself and the public response, using neutral language and presenting facts without apparent ideological framing.
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