American pilots killed in horrific private jet crash while en route to pick up MLB star are named

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:12, 8 June 2026 | Updated: 16:25, 8 June 2026 The names of the American pilots killed after a private jet crashed in the Dominican Republic while en route to pick up former Major League Baseball player Yadier Molina in Texas have been revealed.  The Gulfstream 200 jet crashed on Sunday afternoon, tragically killing both the pilots Erick Javier Diago and co-pilot Rudy Ghazal as they were headed toward Austin, Texas. The US-registered jet had arrived at La Romana International Airport from Puerto Rico and refueled at the airport before setting off again, officials said.  Crew members onboard declared an emergency not long after takeoff and the aircraft returned to the airport, officials said. As the pilots attempted to land on the runway, the jet reportedly veered off the tarmac and crashed, the airport said. Following the crash, members of the fire department, personnel from the airport's Fire and Rescue Service as well as members of the Specialized Airport and Civil Aviation Security Corps rushed to the scene to secure the area. At the same time, first responders and specialized technicians began gathering evidence to determine what exactly caused the crash. Diago and Ghazal were the only two on board the jet at the time of the crash, according to airport officials. The Gulfstream 200 jet crashed on Sunday afternoon, tragically killing both the pilot Erick Javier Diago and co-pilot Rudy Ghazal as it was headed toward Austin, Texas  Co-pilot Rudy Ghazal, said to be a father to two children, was described as a 'great man,' an 'extraordinary person' and 'dreamer' with a 'joy for life unmatched' The US-registered jet had arrived at La Romana International Airport from Puerto Rico and refueled before returning to the airport and crashing in a fiery explosion Co-pilot Ghazal, said to be a father to two children, was described as a 'great man,' an 'extraordinary person' and 'dreamer' with a 'joy for life unmatched' The US-registered jet had arrived at La Romana International Airport from Puerto Rico and refueled before it was forced to return to the airport and crashed in a fiery explosion The jet was scheduled to collect 43-year-old Molina, a two-time World Series winner with the St Louis Cardinals and a ten-time All-Star, who wrote on Instagram: 'My condolences to the pilots and their families! 'This plan was on its way to pick me, my family and my friends in Texas to bring us back to Puerto Rico!' 'It's all just devastating! Thank you, God, for everything and I am so saddened by it all!' Both pilots were reported to be US nationals. A friend of Ghazal's wrote on Facebook: 'My god... Ruddy was a dear friend of mine...We met at Benitez Aviation when I was 22 years old...He was a great man...' The crash occurred at La Romana International Airport (pictured) The plane was scheduled to collect former Major League Baseball player Yadier Molina 'He always greeted you with a smile and was always in a good mood. I can't believe this.' 'Rudy Ghazal I was very sorry for your loss, a person full of so much energy and a lot of joy for life,' another wrote. 'You will be missed by many, you were an extraordinary person, a dreamer and a joy for life unmatched.' According to another tribute, Ghazal was a father to two children. 'It’s hurts to know that I knew one of the pilots of the private jet that crashed in DR! He was a very kind man and he was genuine, met him while pregnant with Jackson, went to Jackson’s presentation and last time I saw him we had went to cold stone for ice cream! Rest in peace Rudy Ghazal,' the friend wrote. 'Please Keep his family and 2 kids in your prayers as well as the family of the other pilot.' The Daily Mail reached out to La Romana International Airport for comment. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.