At least 5 killed as Mexican Navy plane on medical mission crashes in Texas

At least five people died when a Mexican Navy plane carrying a young patient and seven others crashed Monday afternoon in Galveston Bay , Texas, authorities said. Four of those on board were Navy officers, and four were civilians, including a child. Two civilians were from the Michou and Mau Foundation, a nonprofit that provides emergency medical transport for children with severe burns to hospitals such as Shriners Children’s Hospital in Galveston.

The crash occurred near the base of the causeway connecting Galveston Island to the mainland, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. Foggy conditions with about half-mile visibility were reported in the area, though it is unclear if weather played a role.

Emergency responders and search teams rushed to the scene. A local yacht captain, Sky Decker , who lives nearby, said he rescued a badly injured woman trapped under debris and found another man, dressed in civilian clothes, who had already died. “She had maybe three inches of air to breathe, and jet fuel fumes mixed with the water made it hard to survive,” he said.

Mexico’s Navy expressed condolences to the victims’ families, stating the plane had an “accident” during its approach to Galveston while on a medical mission in coordination with the Michou and Mau Foundation. The nonprofit also shared its grief on social media, reaffirming its commitment to providing care to children with burns.

Investigation teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are on site. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, including dive, crime scene, and drone units, are assisting with recovery and investigation efforts.

Authorities continue to search for possible survivors and gather information to determine the cause of the crash .