Moment private jet owned by River Plate president Jorge Brito crashes and kills two people on board
This is the moment a private jet owned by River Plate president Jorge Brito skidded off an airport runway in Argentina, crashing near multiple homes and killing both people on board.
This is the moment a private jet owned by River Plate president Jorge Brito skidded off an airport runway in Argentina, crashing near multiple homes and killing both people on board.
The aircraft occupants were identified as Martín Fernández, a 46-year-old pilot, and Agustín Orforte, a 35-year-old copilot.
Flight data showed that the Bombardier Challenger 300 made its first flight of the day at around 11:12 am when it departed San Fernando International Airport in San Fernando, 12 miles outside Buenos Aires, and landed at Punta del Este International Airport in La Capuera, Uruguay to drop off several passengers.
The aircraft departed Uruguay at about 12:44 pm and landed in San Fernando at around 1:18 pm.
Argentine news outlets reported that the private jet encountered problems breaking after it touched down, then veered off the runway before it plowed through the airports perimeter fence.
Video footage showed the aircraft charging down the landing strip and disappearing from the camera before a large cloud of smoke hovered over the air.
Cellphone video filmed by a bystander showed residents keeping their distance from the burning jet and a wrecked vehicle.
A preliminary report released Thursday by Argentinas Transportation Safety Board indicated the aircraft registered LV-GOK had a runway excursion, stopping outside the airport grounds.
Martín Fernández (pictured) was identified as the pilot of the private jet that crashed in front of several homes after it skidded off the runway at San Fernando International Airport in San Fernando, Argentina on Wednesday. Agustín Orforte, the copilot, was also killed
Agustín Orforte was in the copilot seat when the Bombardier Challenger 300 barged through the airport perimeter fencing and crashed near outside several homes in San Fernando, Argentina on Wednesday, killing him and the pilot
A street surveillance camera registered the moment the private jet plowed through the perimeter fencing at San Fernando International Airport and crashed near multiple homes
Narcisa Martínez, a 62-year-old Paraguayan national, told El Trece television that she was home with her four grandchildren when the jet crashed.
The plane was three steps away from me, then smoke began to rise, said Martínez, who has been living in Argentina for three decades.
They hugged each other to die. We saw them like that and then we ran. I saw them from the fence hugging each other. And there they died in the fire.
Martínez lauded one her four grandchildren, 18-year-old Lautaro, for leading them and her great grandchild to safety by breaking down a wooden door.
There were a lot of screams, so we thought there were more people on the plane, she said. Heartbreaking screams could be heard all around the block, Get me out of here please.
The Bombardier Challenger hit a tree several feet away from one of the homes, which was destroyed
The jet crash also destroyed a section of Daniel Pons residence.
I was in the kitchen when I heard the bang. I ran out and saw the plane destroy part of the house, Pons told La Nación newspaper. Everything happened so fast that I could barely react.
Estaba en la cocina cuando escuché el estruendo. Salí corriendo y vi cómo el avión arrasó con parte de la casa. Todo pasó tan rápido que apenas pude reaccionar,
Brito, who is the owner of Banco Macro, Argentinas largest banking institution had not commented about the crash as of Thursday.
His father, Jorge Horacio Brito, died in a helicopter crash in November 2020 in the northwestern city of Salta. The pilot was also killed.
The wreckage of a plane lays next to homes after crashing near the airport in San Fernando, Argentina on Wednesday
Argentinas Transportation Safety Board said the plane crash was due to the aircraft skidding off the runway
A firefighter inspects the wreckage of the Bombardier Challenger 300 aircraft
Doctors assigned to the Argentine Federal Police indicated that the Loza and Orforte may have died from smoke inhalation.
A preliminary report released Thursday by Argentinas Transportation Safety Board indicated that the accident was caused by a track excursion.
A more detailed report is due in 30 days, the agency said.
Florencia Escobar, who also lives in the neighborhood, recalled the December 6, 2019 Cessna plane that crashed on the roof of a home. All four occupants survived.
Its a danger, Escobar said. These planes shouldnt be so close to houses.
