Beachgoer killed as small plane with skydivers makes forced landing on Mexican beach
A beachgoer was killed when a plane carrying four Canadian skydivers came down in southern Mexico Sunday.
Authorities in Mexico, in a news release, said that the incident regarding the "forced landing of a small plane carrying a group of people" in Playa Bachoco was reported around noon on Sunday. Playa Bachoco beach is located in the Pacific coast town of Puerto Escondido, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Four Canadians and one Mexican man were aboard the small aircraft when it came down and killed the beachgoer. The Oaxaca state civil defense office said the injured — aged 60, 59, 41 and 35 — were removed from the plane and taken for medical examination. They were reported to be in "stable" condition.
Details of the deceased have not been revealed, except that he was 62 years old and was accompanied by his wife at the time of the accident, who remained unharmed.
Plane largely intact
While it not yet known why the plane had to make an emergency landing, video footage posted by local media outlet Puerto Global after the crash shows that the plane was not damaged badly.
However, it fell in a relatively populated section of the beach, almost next to a wood beach structure and just meters away from the water, as per the footage. The area was immediately cordoned off as authorities investigated the incident and aided the injured.
The plane was marked "Skydive Puerto Escondido," according to the video footage. Skydive Puerto Escondido is a skydiving center in Puerto Escondido, offering jumps from almost 13,000 feet above sea level. The company did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.
'Irreparable loss'
Meanwhile Oaxaca State Gov. Salomon Jara, in a social media post, regretted the incident and said that efforts were being made to help the plane passengers who were injured.
"To the family of the person who died, we will provide all the necessary support and accompany them in the face of their irreparable loss," he said.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.