Man Dies After Crashing Plane Into Former Employer’s Warehouse

Recently fired from an industrial plant in Rosario, Argentina, a man rocketed a Cessna 152 into his former place of work on Friday, August 9. The man did not survive the plane crash and was the only fatality documented at the scene.

Details On The Crash

46-year-old pilot Juan Manuel Medina was employed by Air Liquide, a global gas company headquartered in Paris, France with industrial locations worldwide. The Rosario location contains a supply of gasses including oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen.

Medina took off from Alvear Aeroclub at 11:50 a.m. The crash occurred minutes later. 

In a five-second video shared on X, the Cessna 152 can be spotted from high above, then darting right into an area concealed by an adjacent building. Witnesses have also claimed to have seen the plane circle above the vicinity before the crash.

Despite the plant's abundance of chemical contents, the crash did not cause any additional explosions thanks to the warehouse's concrete exterior that shielded most of the building. The only thing the crash caused inside the building was a single gasoline spill, which firefighters handled with a foam tanker.

Employees from Air Liquide and surrounding locations were evacuated from the premises following the crash. With no additional deaths or serious damages, chief firefighter Daniel Acosta deemed the event "lucky".

Was The Crash Intentional?

Medina was employed by the company as of March 2024, but was allegedly let go since for undisclosed reasons. He was considered a veteran pilot who logged in 400 flying hours and met all regulations from Alvear Aeroclub. There was no indication he had any problems piloting the Cessna.
 

An alarming WhatsApp post was recovered on Saturday, in which Medina allegedly shared a picture of a mushroom cloud. This picture was posted at 9:30 a.m.; a little more than two hours before the plane's departure and collision. Those close to Medina who noticed the picture shared it with authorities.

Prosecutor Mariela Oliva is currently leading an investigation into the crash. Police have since searched Medina's home and recovered electronic equipment. 

At this time, all signs are pointing to this crash being intentional, with Medina having held a grudge for being let go from Air Liquide. This belief is supported by the WhatsApp post from Medina's account, the plane's straight trajectory in the video, and witness reports of the plane circling the area before the crash.

What are your thoughts on this unfortunate event? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.