Bystanders rush to rescue passengers after small plane crashes on Texas highway, killing 1

The jet was carrying six people when it crashed on the highway, killing one passenger – a Texas technology entrepreneur – as bystanders and emergency workers rushed to rescue people from the fiery wreckage, according to authorities and video from the scene.

(CNN) — From a distance, the crash on the South Texas highway appeared to be a tractor-trailer accident, until Zayra Garza and her husband got closer and saw flames and a small jet broken in two.

“We saw the nose of the aircraft and we’re like, ‘What? This is an aircraft?’” Garza told CNN about the crash on the Loop 20 highway in Laredo, Texas, late Tuesday.

“I just couldn’t believe there was a plane in the middle of the Loop, and it was (broken) in half.”

The jet was carrying six people when it crashed on the highway, killing one passenger – a Texas technology entrepreneur – as bystanders and emergency workers rushed to rescue people from the fiery wreckage, according to authorities and video from the scene.

The crash shut down traffic in both directions and strewed debris across multiple lanes as flames broke out. The aircraft came to rest on its side, with the fuselage straddling a concrete divider and another part of the jet landing on a highway ramp directly below it.

Video shared by a witness showed emergency responders trying to crack open the plane’s windshield as authorities and bystanders helped several people out of the burning aircraft. Some were seen walking away after escaping.

Garza said she and her husband were among the first to arrive, and her husband hopped over the median and raced to help the people trapped inside the plane.

They were banging on the windshield and trying to get out the door, she said, but it was too heavy.

Law enforcement and bystanders ran over and helped them push the door up and hold it open.

“When they opened the door, one of the first things the kids said was, ‘Help me, help me!’” Garza said.

Three young people quickly jumped out, Garza said.

‘Visionary entrepreneur’ killed in crash

Josh Baer, a fixture in the Austin, Texas, technology and startup scene, was killed, according to a statement from the company he founded, Capital Factory.

“He dedicated his life to helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality,” the statement read, adding Baer’s impact on Austin and beyond can’t be overstated.

At the University of Texas at Austin, Baer worked with the computer science program and helped create startup opportunities, said Peter Stone, who heads the university’s School of Computing in the College of Natural Sciences. He called Baer a “visionary entrepreneur, dedicated mentor, and passionate supporter for student innovation.”

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Baer’s “incalculable” impact made the state a “global leader” with innovation and entrepreneurship.

The five survivors from the plane were two pilots and three teenagers, Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez said, and they were taken to a hospital. In the wreckage, firefighters discovered and rescued “a small pet,” Fire Chief Guillermo Heard said.

The plane also hit a moving vehicle as it came down, Laredo police spokesperson Jose Baeza said. At least one person from the vehicle was also taken to a hospital, Baeza said, and police said Wednesday they’ve since been released.

Police did not identify the victims or provide details on injuries.

Plane was originally bound for Austin

The plane, a NetJets-operated Cessna Citation Latitude business jet, departed San José del Cabo, Mexico, around 6:18 p.m. bound for Austin, Texas, according to flight data from FlightRadar24. Just before 10 p.m., the flight crew notified air traffic control in Laredo of mechanical difficulties and declared an emergency, according to Laredo International Airport.

The plane was trying to divert to Laredo when it went down, the airport said. The plane lost contact with air traffic controllers before it crashed on the highway, Baeza said.

FlightRadar24 data shows a steady, controlled descent toward Laredo International Airport until the signal cut out around 600 feet, roughly 2.5 miles short of the runway.

NetJets said it is working with local law enforcement to confirm details and has deployed crisis response and family support teams to the site.

“Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our Crewmembers, our passengers, and their families during this time,” the company said in a statement.

Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane was built in 2016. The aircraft has a wingspan of 72 feet and can cruise faster than 500 mph.

Crash closed a busy highway

Five officers were also transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries sustained during the rescue, Laredo police spokesperson Jose Espinoza said.

Loop 20 is a major corridor for the city of Laredo, and federal authorities have authorized police to start clearing the scene, but Rodriguez cautioned the investigation would take time.

“The loop is not going to be open anytime soon,” the police chief said.

Federal agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, have been notified, Baeza said. Officers with the FBI responded to the scene to provide support and assistance, the agency said.

The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation, and investigators were expected to arrive at the site later Wednesday, the agency said.

CNN has reached out to the NTSB for more information.

An NTSB investigation usually results in a preliminary report within 30 days, and a final report determining the probable cause of an accident in 1 to 2 years.

Rodriguez said the tragedy could have been greater under different circumstances, given the late hour.

“The city is very lucky that this occurred at the time that it occurred, and that no other citizen got hurt during this accident,” he said. “There was a hotel a couple of feet away from the crash site.”

Garza, the witness, told CNN she was proud of those who jumped in harm’s way in the aftermath.

“It looked like everybody was not even thinking about themselves but thinking about getting those people out safe,” she said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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