Pilot dies in gender reveal party stunt after plane crashes in front of guests
Topics: News
Jess Battison
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/NRNoticiasSIN
Topics: News
A pilot has tragically died after their plane crashed in a gender reveal party stunt.
Yesterday (3 September), a clip was shared to X (formerly Twitter) where an excited mum and dad-to be were stood in front of a gorgeous balloon display and huge light-up sign.
Against the backdrop of a sign reading ‘Oh, Baby’ in San Pedro, Mexico, the pair were surrounded by their family and friends, all waiting to find out the gender of their unborn child.
And the couple had planned an extravagant reveal – carried out by plane.
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The expecting mum and dad were seen holding hands, eagerly waiting for the small white jet to fly over.
The plane soon flies low over the couple, dropping down a shower of bright pink water – revealing they are having a baby girl.
Just as the pink was revealed, a canon pouring out pink confetti was also let off nearby.
However, while everyone was celebrating and watching the happy couple, many of the guests didn’t realise that the Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee aircraft rapidly began to spiral out of control.
In footage of the incident, it seems as though one of the wings suddenly bends upwards.
Pilot Luis Ángel tried to navigate it over a neighbouring row of palm trees.
But it ultimately carried on plunging into a nightmare-like tailspin.
According to Mexican news outlet Línea Directa, Ángel, 32, eventually crashed the plane while trying to get it to safety.
Worried guests called emergency services following the incident.
And tragically, the pilot was reportedly found lying in the wreckage by a volunteer and Red Cross paramedics.
As per Aviation Safety Network, the ‘left-hand wing failed after an emergency hopper release of (pink dyed) water during a gender reveal party’.
It is also reported that despite Ángel being taken to the Mexican Social Security Institute in Navolato, he was later pronounced dead.
Social media users have shared their horror over the incident.
One X user slammed the what-should-have-been happy occasion and wrote: “These reveals are out of control.”
But another pointed out: “No reason to blame the couple. This could have happened anywhere. It’s strange that the plane lost a wing. It didn’t look like he pulled up aggressively. Sad to see.”
And another replied: “The weirdest part for me is that the person who took the video just continued filming the couple celebrating instead of running to help the pilot. I guess most of the people didn't even notice.”