A renowned Mexican television presenter tragically passed away in a devastating plane accident shortly after sharing a picture of the light aircraft she was flying in for a flying lesson.
Debora Estrella, a news anchor aged 43, and pilot Bryan Ballesteros lost their lives when the two-seater Cessna they were in crashed near an industrial estate in the city of Garcia, located in the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon.
Videos circulating on social media, though unverified, depicted the small plane spiraling out of control before descending, with a helicopter in the vicinity attempting to assess the situation for potential aid.
Prior to the crash, Debora posted an image of the aircraft on her Instagram Live stories with the caption “Guess what,” moments before departing from Monterrey-Del Norte International Airport.
Mayor Manuel Guerra Cavazos of Garcia confirmed the tragic incident on social media, revealing that a light plane had crashed, resulting in the fatalities of a man and a woman near the Pesqueria River in the Mitras Industrial Estate.
Following the accident, Debora’s ex-husband, Jose Luis Garcia, a journalist, shared details on social media, unaware at the time that his former spouse was one of the victims, stating that two individuals had perished in the accident close to the Ciudad Mitras Industrial Estate in Garcia.
Maria Julia Lafuente, a colleague of Debora and a fellow journalist, emotionally addressed viewers on their TV station, expressing deep sorrow over the loss and highlighting Debora’s vibrant personality and dedication to her work.
Further tributes revealed that Debora had confided in friends at a recent gathering about her plans to pursue flying lessons in pursuit of obtaining a pilot’s license.
Bryan Ballesteros, the pilot who also perished in the crash, had a background as a commercial airline pilot for Viva Aerobus and was reportedly flying the Cessna during the incident.
In a heartfelt online tribute, a former student named Miguel Briones from Monterrey paid respects to Bryan, acknowledging his mentorship and support in aviation training.
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