Authorities are relentlessly searching for one passenger still missing after a Mexican Navy medical aircraft crashed into Galveston Bay on Monday, trying to land at Scholes International Airport amid foggy conditions. Click2Houston reports that of the eight on board, the tragic accident claimed five lives. Two survivors were located, while the fate of the remaining passenger is yet to be determined.
The aircraft was not a commercial flight; instead involved in a humanitarian mission with the Michou y Mau Foundation, transporting patients requiring specialized care, such as a child burn victim who was heading to Galveston's Shriners Hospital. Flight records, as noted by Click2Houston, indicate the plane departed from General Mariano Escobedo International Airport in Mexico.
The collaborative recovery and investigation effort involves multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas DPS, the FAA, and the NTSB. According to a statement obtained by CBS News, the NTSB is "aware of this accident and are gathering information about it." Witnesses described the immediate aftermath of the crash, telling of debris scattered across West Galveston Bay and citizens rushing to aid survivors before the arrival of official response teams.
The Mexican Navy confirmed the plane carried four navy officers and four civilians. In a heart-rending show of support, the Michou and Mau Foundation expressed their "We express our deepest solidarity with the families in light of these events. We share their grief with respect and compassion, honoring their memory and reaffirming our commitment to providing humane, sensitive, and dignified care to children with burns," they shared their grief in the CBS News reports.
The foggy weather, which has enveloped the area for several days, is being considered as a possible factor in the crash. Click2Houston cites Cameron Batiste, a National Weather Service meteorologist, who noted that visibility was significantly reduced due to the fog, with clearances of about a half-mile when the crash happened. The search operations and investigation into the crash are expected to continue, as efforts to establish the complete narrative of this tragedy are persisting.
