Emergency personnel rush a victim of a small plane crash to an awaiting ambulance, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, near the Galveston causeway, near Galveston, Texas. (Photo: AP)
At least five people were killed after a small Mexican Navy aircraft on a medical mission crashed near Galveston on the Texas coast, US and Mexican officials said on Monday.
The plane was carrying a young medical patient and seven others when it went down in waters near the base of a causeway in Galveston, about 80 km southeast of Houston, according to the Associated Press.
Who was on board
Mexico’s Navy said four of those on board were Navy officers and four were civilians, including a child. It was not immediately clear which of the passengers were among those killed.
Galveston Police officers watch the water on Galveston Bay west of the Galveston causeway, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, near Galveston, Texas, as emergency personnel search for a small airplane that went down in the bay in heavy fog. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)
Two of the civilians were members of the Michou and Mau Foundation, a non-profit organisation that helps Mexican children with severe burn injuries, the Navy said.
Deaths confirmed
US Coast Guard Petty Officer Luke Baker confirmed that five people had died in the crash. Search and rescue efforts were launched soon after the incident, while authorities continued to assess the situation.
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Mexico’s Navy said the aircraft was carrying out a medical mission when it suffered what it described as an “accident”.
“The incident remains under investigation, and additional information will be released as it becomes available,” the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook, asking the public to stay away from the area so emergency teams could work safely.
Emergency personnel rush a victim of a small plane crash to an awaiting ambulance, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, near the causeway, in Galveston, Texas. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)
The Mexican Navy said it was assisting local authorities and sharing updates on social media platform X. Investigation under way
Teams from the US Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have reached the crash site, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
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Local responders, including dive teams, drone units, patrol officers and crime scene investigators, were also deployed, according to the sheriff’s office.
Weather conditions
It was not immediately clear whether weather played a role in the crash. However, fog has affected the area in recent days.
“At about 2.30 pm on Monday, fog reduced visibility to around half a mile,” Cameron Batiste, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told AP. Foggy conditions are expected to continue into Tuesday morning. Galveston is a popular island destination along the Texas coast.
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Emergency personnel rush a victim of a small plane crash to an awaiting ambulance, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, near the Galveston causeway, near Galveston, Texas. (Photo: AP) 
