UPDATE: A tragic plane crash off the Texas coast has claimed the lives of at least six people, including a Navy lieutenant, as a small Mexican Navy aircraft was returning from a medical mission. The crash occurred amid thick fog on January 15, 2025, while the plane was transporting a critically injured child to a hospital in Galveston, Texas.
Authorities confirmed that air traffic controllers lost communication with the Beech King Air 350i for approximately ten minutes before it crashed just off the coast. The incident has left families devastated and searching for answers. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated during a morning briefing that the flight was part of a humanitarian effort coordinated with the Michou and Mau Foundation, which assists children with severe burns.
The plane’s crash site was discovered after teams recovered five bodies and rescued two survivors from the wreckage. However, the search for 29-year-old Luis Enrique Castillo, the missing lieutenant, ended tragically when his body was located later that evening. His father, Eduardo Castillo, expressed his heartbreak, stating, “Now he’s never going to meet his unborn child.” The family had been anxiously awaiting news, unable to travel to the U.S. due to visa issues.
The plane was approaching Sholes International Airport when radar data revealed it was dangerously low, with visibility reported at only half a mile due to the fog. Experts noted that the navigation system at the airport had been out of service for over a week, which may have contributed to the crash. A former investigator, Jeff Guzzetti, criticized the decision to land under such conditions, emphasizing that the pilot should have aborted the landing attempt.
The aircraft crashed in a bay near the causeway connecting Galveston Island to the mainland. Eyewitness Sky Decker, a local yacht captain, recounted his harrowing experience of rescuing a woman trapped in the wreckage, stating, “She was really fighting for her life.”
As the investigation unfolds, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will examine maintenance records, weather conditions, and air traffic communications. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days. Aviation safety experts are raising concerns about the pressure on pilots to land under challenging circumstances, particularly given the medical urgency of transporting patients.
The Michou and Mau Foundation, which has facilitated over 2,000 transfers for burn treatment in its 23-year history, expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims. Shriners Children’s Texas, the hospital involved, reacted with “profound sadness” but did not provide details on the child’s condition involved in the mission.
This crash adds to a troubling year for aviation safety in the U.S., following several high-profile incidents, including a January midair collision and a recent UPS plane crash. While the overall number of crashes has decreased, experts maintain that flying remains a safe mode of transportation.
As investigations continue, families and communities are left grappling with the devastating loss and searching for answers in this heartbreaking event.