A private jet has crashed near an airport in Mexico, killing all ten people on board, including three young children. The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon near Toluca International Airport, west of Mexico City.
The Moment of Impact and Immediate Aftermath
The Cessna Citation III jet plummeted to the ground at approximately 12.30pm local time yesterday. It had taken off from the coastal resort of Acapulco just thirty minutes earlier. Shocking footage circulating online shows the aircraft falling from the sky in a densely built-up area before striking a warehouse on an industrial estate.
The impact, which created a gaping hole in the building's wall, ignited a massive fire. This was fuelled by fuel and gas tanks stored inside the warehouse. Emergency services rushed to the scene, with firefighters battling the intense blaze as thick, black smoke billowed into the air.
Miraculously, the warehouse was empty at the time. Local reports indicate employees had been given the day off, preventing further casualties.
Victims and the Failed Emergency Landing
All ten people aboard the flight perished. The victims include two pilots and eight passengers. The passengers were five adults and three children believed to be from the same family.
The pilot has been identified as Juan Carlos Olivares Casas, with the co-pilot named as Walding Sanchez Manzano. The adult passengers who died are Raul Gomez Ruiz, 60; Olga Janine Buenfil Cardone, 60; Gustavo Palomino Olet, 50; Ilse Lizeth Hernandez Tellez, 32; and Raul Gomez Buenfil, 31.
The three children have been named by their first names only: four-year-old Raul, two-year-old Natalia, and nine-year-old Ximena.
Authorities state the pilot was attempting an emergency landing in a nearby football field, close to a children's play area. Instead, the jet struck the metal roof of the warehouse. In the final communication with air traffic control, the pilot was heard saying, 'We're crashing.'
Investigation and Community Response
An investigation into the cause of the crash is now underway. Initial reports suggest investigators are focusing on a potential engine failure as the likely cause. The company operating the air taxi service, JetPro, has not yet issued a public comment.
The fire and risk from the stored materials forced a significant emergency response. Around 150 people were evacuated from a two-block radius as a precautionary measure, according to Cristobal Castaneda, the State of Mexico's Minister of Public Security.
Ana Muniz, the mayor of San Mateo Atenco, confirmed the evacuations to local media. One resident described the horrifying moment, saying the plane 'spun around like when a fan breaks loose' before they heard the explosion and saw the smoke.
Servicios Aereos Estrella, a company initially and incorrectly linked to the flight, released a statement expressing solidarity with the victims' families while clarifying they did not own or operate the aircraft involved.
