A private jet dispatched to pick up former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina never reached its destination after crashing shortly after takeoff in the Dominican Republic, leaving both crew members dead.
According to the New York Post, authorities said the Gulfstream G200 Galaxy executive aircraft departed from La Romana International Airport on Sunday and was headed to Austin, Texas.
Not long after becoming airborne, the crew reported problems and declared an emergency.
According to officials, the pilot attempted to return to the airport, but the aircraft lost stability during the effort to make an emergency landing.
The jet ultimately crashed and erupted into flames.
The pilot and co-pilot, the only people aboard the aircraft, were killed. Their identities were not immediately released.
Dominican aviation officials said no passengers were on board at the time of the crash.
The aircraft had been scheduled to travel to Texas to pick up Molina, his family, and friends before continuing to Puerto Rico.
The longtime Cardinals star addressed the tragedy in a message shared on Instagram.
“My condolences to the pilots and their families,” Molina wrote.
“This plane was on its way to pick up me, my family, and friends in Texas to return to Puerto Rico. This is all so heartbreaking.”
The Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation said the aircraft was approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of La Romana International Airport when the emergency unfolded.
“The US-registered aircraft, registered to an executive aviation company, had its two crew members on board: the pilot and co-pilot. No passengers were reported,” the agency said in a statement.
Video from the scene showed the wreckage engulfed in flames as thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
Emergency crews, including firefighters and rescue personnel, rushed to the crash site and worked to extinguish the blaze while securing the area.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Officials said specialized agencies will assist in determining what malfunction or failure led to the emergency and the unsuccessful attempt to return to the airport.
Molina remains one of the most accomplished players in Cardinals history.
He spent his entire Major League Baseball career with St. Louis from 2004 through 2022, earning 10 All-Star selections while helping the franchise capture World Series titles in 2006 and 2011.
The nine-time Rawlings Gold Glove winner now finds himself mourning a tragedy that nearly intersected with his own travel plans.
