A business jet crashed and erupted in flames on a highway in Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday night, killing one person and sparking chaotic scenes as bystanders desperately tried to free those trapped inside.
People abandoned their vehicles to frantically smash the cockpit window in a bid to rescue occupants.
The plane, carrying six people, went down on the Loop 20 highway shortly after 10 p.m., according to Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department.
NetJets, owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, confirmed the crash involved one of its aircraft and stated it is cooperating with authorities.
It remains unclear whether the fatality was an occupant of the aircraft or someone on the ground. While no immediate ground injuries were reported, five officers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
Identified as a Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet by aviation tracking firm FlightAware, the aircraft had departed from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico at 6:19 p.m.
The cause of the crash as it approached Laredo, approximately 140 miles southwest of San Antonio, is currently unknown. Social media footage depicted the plane on its side, embedded in a highway barrier, with its tail ripped from the fuselage.
Zayra Garza, an esthetician, witnessed the unfolding tragedy while driving coworkers home. She began filming as she approached the scene, then stopped her car opposite the burning jet. She observed someone inside attempting to break the cockpit window, prompting others to exit their vehicles and assist from the outside.
Garza’s husband joined the rescue efforts, and she then saw the plane’s door open. Three individuals, appearing to be teenagers, rushed out, followed by a pilot and another crew member attempting to pull an unconscious person.
“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” Garza recounted, adding, “What was worrying me was the fire. I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”
