MEXICO CITY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed after a Mexican navy aircraft crashed near Galveston off the Texas coast on Monday, while carrying out a medical transfer mission, according to the Mexican Secretariat of the Navy.

The secretariat said that there were eight people on board, of whom five were killed and two others rescued, adding that the search for the remaining one is ongoing.

The plane was on a humanitarian medical transfer mission in collaboration with a Mexican foundation when the crash occurred as it approached Galveston for landing, said the statement.

The secretariat added that it will cooperate with relevant departments to investigate and determine the cause of the crash. ■