Mexican Navy Plane on Medical Mission Crashes Off Texas Coast, Killing at Least Five

A small Mexican Navy aircraft carrying a child patient and seven others crashed off the coast of Galveston, Texas, on Monday, December 22, 2025, during a medical transport mission. At least five people were killed in the incident, with two survivors and one person remaining unaccounted for, according to Mexico's Navy.

A Mission of Mercy Ends in Tragedy

The aircraft was transporting four Navy officers and four civilians, including the child patient. In a statement, the Mexican Marine Corps extended its “deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.” While the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed at least five fatalities to The Associated Press, the identities of the victims have not been specified.

The flight was part of a coordinated effort with the Michou and Mau Foundation, a nonprofit that arranges emergency transport for children with life-threatening burns. The destination was Shriners Children's Hospital in Galveston. According to the flight tracking site Flight Radar, the plane departed from Merida, Mexico, at 18:46 GMT and was last recorded over Galveston Bay at 21:01 GMT.

Investigation Underway Amid Foggy Conditions

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation. The Mexican Navy's statement noted the plane had an “accident” during its approach but did not elaborate further. Teams from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been dispatched to the scene to determine the cause.

It's not yet clear if weather was a contributing factor, though the area had been experiencing poor visibility. A U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist, Cameron Batiste, said that foggy conditions had persisted for several days. Around the time of the crash, at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time (20:30 GMT), incoming fog reduced visibility to about half a mile (0.8km).