A deadly plane crash overnight in Laredo, Texas, sent a private jet slamming into a busy highway and striking a vehicle. The crash was reported shortly after 10 p.m. Authorities said at least one person was killed, while others were taken to a local hospital.
According to officials, the aircraft was a mid-sized private jet that had taken off from Cabo, Mexico. The jet experienced a mechanical failure, and shortly afterward it came down onto the highway below. What had been a routine departure turned into a fatal disaster within minutes.
Six people were aboard the plane, including crew members. Officials confirmed that at least one of them died, with the others transported to a local hospital for treatment. The full extent of the injuries among those on board was still being assessed.
The jet struck a car as it came down onto the roadway. Despite the violence of the impact, the people inside that vehicle reportedly made it out alive. Drivers in the area captured video showing flames shooting from the wreckage.
In the moments after the crash, several Good Samaritans were seen rushing to assist first responders. Video showed people attempting to break the plane's windows in an effort to free those trapped inside. The scene unfolded on a busy stretch of road where motorists had been traveling.
The rescue effort came at a cost for some of those who responded. Five officers who went in to help were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation. People nearby described being able to feel the heat from the fire and smell the smoke from a distance.
Officials linked the crash to the mechanical failure the jet suffered after taking off from Cabo. The aircraft went down onto the highway only a short time into the flight, leaving emergency crews working at the crash site as the condition of those hospitalized, including the injured officers, continued to be monitored.