A humanitarian flight operated by the Mexican Navy ended in tragedy after a small aircraft crashed into waters off the coast of Texas near Galveston, killing at least six people, including a two year old child who was being transported for urgent medical care in the United States.
Mexican naval authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the body of a passenger initially listed as missing had been recovered, raising the confirmed death toll to six. Eight people were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. Two survived and are currently hospitalized in stable condition, according to an official navy statement.
The flight had departed from Mérida in southern Mexico and was part of a medical evacuation effort to get the toddler specialized treatment unavailable in the child’s home region. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed during her morning briefing that the young burn victim was among those who lost their lives.
She expressed condolences to the families affected, noting that the passengers included medical workers, navy personnel and relatives accompanying the child. She described the incident as deeply painful and assured the public that a full investigation would be carried out.
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Local media reports indicated that the child had suffered severe third degree burns after being scalded by boiling water. Hospitals in the family’s hometown of Escárcega were reportedly unable to manage the extent of the injuries, prompting a transfer to Mérida. From there, arrangements were made through the Michou y Mau Foundation, a charity known for assisting Mexican children with serious burns, to move the child to a specialist facility in Galveston, Texas. The foundation has previously coordinated similar cross border medical transfers.
Details surrounding the cause of the crash remain unclear. The Mexican Navy has not released information on what may have gone wrong, while authorities in Galveston have also offered limited comment. President Sheinbaum said communication between the aircraft and ground teams was lost for about ten minutes before the crash, a window that investigators are now closely examining. She added that Mexican officials are working alongside US authorities to determine exactly what happened.
The United States Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, also reacted to the incident, offering sympathies to the victims’ families and stating that American authorities are cooperating fully with Mexico during the investigation.
The crash has cast a shadow over what was meant to be a life saving mission, highlighting both the risks involved in emergency medical transfers and the gaps in access to specialised healthcare that often force families to seek treatment far from home.