At least seven people were killed on Monday after a small private jet, attempting an emergency landing, crashed into a business rooftop near the city of Toluca in Mexico, triggering a massive fire and prompting mass evacuations.
The aircraft, which had departed from Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coast, was bound for Toluca International Airport, located approximately 50 km west of Mexico City.
The fatal incident occurred in an industrial zone in the municipality of San Mateo Atenco, about 5 km from the airport.
Mexico State Civil Protection Coordinator Adrian Hernandez confirmed that the jet had eight passengers and two crew members registered on board, though only seven bodies had been recovered hours after the crash. Search and recovery efforts are continuing at the wreckage site.
Authorities indicated that the pilot appeared to be trying to execute a controlled landing on a nearby soccer field but tragically missed, striking the metal roof of a local business instead. The impact caused the aircraft to erupt in a large fire, enveloping the surrounding area in thick smoke.
San Mateo Atenco Mayor Ana Muniz told local media that the intensity of the blaze forced emergency services to evacuate around 130 people from the adjacent industrial complex as a safety precaution.
“The scene is one of absolute devastation. Our first priority was containment and ensuring the safety of nearby workers and residents,” Mayor Muniz stated.
Investigators from Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport have been dispatched to the site to secure the wreckage and launch a full inquiry into the cause of the emergency and subsequent crash.
Preliminary reports suggest that weather conditions were not a factor, though officials said that the investigation is in its earliest phase. The identities and nationalities of the victims have not yet been released.
