At least seven people were killed on Monday after a small aircraft crashed in central Mexico while attempting an emergency landing, Associated Press reported citing state authorities.
The accident occurred in San Mateo Atenco, an industrial district around five kilometres from Toluca International Airport and roughly 50 kilometres west of Mexico City. The aircraft, a private jet, had departed from Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coast before encountering difficulties mid-flight.
Mexico State Civil Protection Coordinator Adrián Hernández said the jet was carrying eight passengers and two crew members, although only seven bodies had been recovered several hours after the crash. Search and recovery operations were continuing as investigators worked to determine whether others may still be unaccounted for.
Officials said the pilot appeared to be attempting an emergency landing on a nearby football field when the aircraft struck the metal roof of an industrial building. The impact triggered a large fire, prompting an emergency response from local fire and rescue services.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
San Mateo Atenco Mayor Ana Muñiz told Milenio Television that the blaze forced the evacuation of approximately 130 people from surrounding businesses and facilities as a precaution.
Fatal Plane Crashes in Recent History
Several fatal aircraft accidents have been reported in recent weeks, involving military and test flights across different regions.
On 9 December, a Russian military transport aircraft crashed during a test flight following repair work, according to the defence ministry. The Antonov An-22 went down in an uninhabited area of the Ivanovo region, around 200 kilometres east of Moscow. State news agency TASS reported that seven people were on board, though their survival was initially unclear. Search and rescue teams were deployed and an investigation was launched. Authorities said there was no indication that the crash was linked to Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
A day later, on 10 December, a Sudanese military aircraft crashed while attempting to land in the eastern city of Port Sudan, killing all crew members on board, military officials said. The Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane reportedly suffered a technical failure during its approach to Osman Digna Air Base, marking another deadly aviation incident in the conflict-affected country.
Earlier, on 21 November, a Tejas fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show, killing its sole pilot. The pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, in his mid-30s and from Himachal Pradesh, was performing a low-altitude manoeuvre when the aircraft abruptly lost height and nosedived into the ground. Video footage showed the jet erupting into flames moments after impact, casting a sombre note over the final day of the international aviation event.
