A plane carrying two American pilots crashed on Sunday near the town of La Romana, Dominican Republic, while attempting an emergency landing. Both pilots died in the intense fire, according to a statement from the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute.
The aircraft had been chartered to travel to Texas to pick up former Major League Baseball (MLB) star catcher Yadier Molina along with his family and friends. On social media, Molina confirmed the incident and offered condolences to the pilots' families. He and his group were preparing to head to Puerto Rico.
Authorities said the plane departed from Puerto Rico, landed in the Dominican Republic to refuel, and was then set to continue to Texas. Shortly after taking off from the Dominican airport, the pilot reported an emergency and attempted an emergency landing, but was unsuccessful.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. A video of the aircraft engulfed in flames, recorded on a mobile phone, is circulating on social media. There were no passengers on board at the time of the accident.
Yadier Molina, 42, is considered one of the greatest catchers in MLB history. He won two World Series championships with the St. Louis Cardinals, the only team he played for throughout his 19-year career before retiring in 2022.
