A well-known Mexican news presenter, Debora Estrella, has died in a plane crash just moments after posting a photo of the aircraft on her Instagram story.
The 43-year-old broadcaster and her instructor, pilot Bryan Ballesteros, were killed when their two-seater Cessna went down near an industrial estate in the city of García, Nuevo León, on Saturday evening.
Footage shared on social media appeared to show the small plane spiraling out of control before crashing, while a nearby helicopter circled in an attempt to help.
Before take-off from Monterrey-Del Norte International Airport, Debora had posted a photo of the plane with the caption: “Guess what”.
García’s mayor, Manuel Guerra Cavazos, later confirmed the crash, saying:
“It has been confirmed that a light aircraft has crashed and two people have died, apparently a man and a woman.”
Debora’s ex-husband, fellow journalist Jose Luis Garcia, posted about the crash before realizing she was one of the victims.
Her TV colleague, Maria Julia Lafuente, broke down on air as she paid tribute:
“Our hearts are broken. There are things that cannot be explained. Debora lived life to the fullest, always giving her all. If we can learn anything from her, it’s to do what you love and never waste a single moment.”
Friends revealed Debora had only just started flying lessons and had told them she was working towards getting her pilot’s license.
Her instructor, Bryan Ballesteros, was a former Viva Aerobus c
