A devastating private jet crash in Texas has sent shockwaves across the aviation community, highlighting concerns over air safety on both sides of the Atlantic. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when a NetJets Cessna 680A business jet, carrying six individuals, lost communication with air traffic control and crashed on a highway in Laredo, Texas, resulting in one fatality and injuries to five others.
The plane, which had departed from San José del Cabo in Mexico bound for Austin, Texas, was under the ownership of NetJets, a private aviation company owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the jet was en route when it lost contact with air traffic control, prompting a series of emergency calls to local authorities.
Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza revealed that officers were alerted to the distress call from the airport control tower just before 10pm local time. Footage shared online by the Laredo police department showed the severity of the crash, with flames rising from the plane immediately after impact and emergency services rushing to the scene.
While the identity of the deceased passenger has been withheld pending notification of next of kin, the five other passengers are reported to be in stable condition at local hospitals. NetJets has activated its crisis response team to support those affected and their loved ones, while a team of experts has been deployed to the accident site.
The incident will be jointly investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), with the NTSB taking the lead. The cause of the crash remains unknown, but NetJets has stated that it will not speculate on the circumstances until the investigators' findings are released.