World

Brake Failure, Rain Causes Crash

October 6, 2000 / 8:47 PM EDT / AP

n Aeromexico plane carrying 83 passengers ran off a runway in northern Mexico Friday, smashing into homes and cars before skidding into a canal. At least six people were killed on the ground.

At least 60 of the passengers and four crew members suffered scrapes and bruises on the flight from Mexico City to Reynosa, just across the border from McAllen, Texas, Rigoberto Cruz Garcia, coordinator of operations for the Red Cross said.

A 39-year-old woman and her three children, ages 1, 3 and 5, were killed when Flight 250 slammed into their home, Garcia said. Two people walking near a drainage canal were killed when the plane plowed into them. Their names were not immediately available.

The DC932's brake system failed on landing in Reynosa, where the runway was soaked from heavy rains from tropical depression Keith, airport manager Silverio Ruiz told the government news agency Notimex.

The flight was landing in stormy weather shortly after 5 p.m. when it crashed into at least three homes and two cars just beyond the runway.

All aboard the plane, which crumpled and laid to rest in a ditch, were Mexican citizens.

"Please tell my family I'm OK," passenger Raul Galuvez told Mexico's national Radio Formula, before breaking down and sobbing.

The flight had been scheduled to continue to the border city of Matamoros.

Aeromexico officials said they had no information on the crash.

Keith, which developed into a powerful hurricane last week, weakened to a tropical depression as it moved over the mountains in the northern state of Tamaulipas, where Reynosa is located.