Private plane crash-lands on Laredo highway, killing 1

One person was killed when a privately owned plane with six people on board crash-landed on a highway in Laredo, Texas, according to officials. The aircraft struck a vehicle, and several police officers who helped rescue survivors were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

The crash happened just before 10 p.m. Tuesday on Loop 20 near the area of the former City Hall annex, according to Laredo police. The aircraft came down on the highway.

Investigator Joe Baeza said the airport tower alerted police that the aircraft was having mechanical problems and that contact with the plane had been lost. A short time later, officials were told the plane had crashed or landed on Loop 20.

The aircraft is a 9-year-old Cessna Citation Latitude registered as N523QS and operated by NetJets, according to Flightradar24. It was flying from San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, to Austin but was diverting to Laredo at the time of the crash.

Baeza said six people were on board the aircraft. One person died, but officials did not release the victim’s name because relatives have not been notified.

The other five people on board survived, according to police. Baeza said officers and bystanders helped remove people from the aircraft after the crash.

A vehicle traveling southbound on Loop 20 was struck by part of the plane. The people inside the vehicle survived and went for medical treatment.

Five police officers were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation after responding to the crash, including officers who went into the aircraft to help rescue survivors. They are in stable condition.

The crash left fuel on the highway and created a large scene, Baeza said. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FBI were among the agencies responding.

Loop 20 was expected to remain closed in the area for an extended period while investigators worked at the scene. The cause of the crash is unknown.