Horror as ‘uncontrolled’ Mexico airplane crash kills 10 together with younger siblings
The private jet had taken off from the famous Pacific resort of Acapulco half an hour earlier, before the horror crash on an industrial estate near Mexico’s Toluca Airport
This is the horrifying moment an out-of-control plane spirals towards the ground in a devastating crash that claimed the lives of 10 people, including three children. The young victims, believed to be from the same family, were a four year old boy and two girls aged nine and two.
Five adult passengers also tragically lost their lives along with two pilots when the private plane crashed into a warehouse on an industrial estate near Mexico’s Toluca Airport, around 12.30pm local time yesterday (December 12). The Cessna Citation III private jet had departed from the renowned Pacific resort of Acapulco just half an hour prior.
Initial local reports indicated six bodies had been recovered from the wreckage before the confirmed death toll rose to 10. An investigation into the accident is currently underway, with investigators reportedly focusing on the theory that an engine problem was the cause as the last conversation between the pilot and air traffic controllers emerged in which he could be heard saying: “We’re crashing.”
JetPro, the company operating the air taxi service which has a fleet of 11 jets and four helicopters, has yet to comment.
Servicios Aereos Estrella, the company initially wrongly named as the private jet operator, said in a statement: “We deeply regret the accident that occurred and accompany with respect and solidarity the people and families affected by this terrible event, wishing them strength in these difficult moments.”
“We would also like to inform you that the aircraft involved doesn’t belong to Servicios Aereos E.”
The pilot was named locally as Juan Carlos Olivares Casas and his co-pilot as Walding Sanchez Manzano. The adult passengers who tragically lost their lives were Raul Gomez Ruiz, 60; Olga Janine Buenfil Cardone, 60; Gustavo Palomino Olet, 50; Ilse Lizeth Hernandez Tellez, 32; and Raul Gomez Buenfil, 31.
The children who died have only been identified so far by their first names – Raul, four, Natalia, two, and Ximena, nine.
Horrifying images showed huge plumes of black smoke rising into the air after the private jet crashed. Cristobal Castaneda, Minister of Public Security for the State of Mexico which Toluca is part of, said: “Two blocks around the premises the plane crashed into had to be evacuated because of the fuel and gas tanks inside. The evacuation was carried out as a precautionary measure.”
Footage from the scene revealed that the Cessna had hit a football pitch near a children’s play area before smashing into a warehouse, leaving a gaping hole in its wall with flames leaping out which had to be extinguished by firefighters. Miraculously no-one was inside the premises at the time, with local reports suggesting employees had been given the day off.
Toluca Airport, just five miles from the crash site, was the final scheduled destination of the ill-fated flight. Pilot Juan Carlos Olivares Casas was aged 61 and his co-pilot 72.
The passengers killed are understood to have been officially named by Mexican authorities, who kept back the surnames of the children to protect their full identities.
