“Gender reveals” are a popular way for expecting parents to find out their future child’s gender. From cake slicing to fireworks, a gender reveal usually ensues emotions of joy and laughter. One particular celebration in San Pedro, Mexico ended in tragedy.
The Fatal Crash
In the Sinaloa State of Mexico, a plane fatally crashed at a gender reveal party. The pilot who was identified as Luis Ángel spiraled into farmland, and landed in a pile of rubble. The man suffered serious injuries upon impact. According to local authorities in Sinaloa, the 32-year-old pilot was treated at the scene of the crash. He passed away shortly after being admitted at the hospital.
In the appalling video that has been circulating the internet, a Piper PA-25 Pawnee is seen flying over a couple with their family and friends.
The aircraft designed for agriculture spraying dispensed a pink smoke over the group of people. They all started cheering when they realized the baby would be a girl, while the aircraft’s wings folded and started to break apart. The cause behind the malfunction is still unknown.
The party of people were not aware of the plane crash during the reveal. Those who noticed the turmoil rushed over to call for help, but commenters under the YouTube video speculated that the cameraman and other guests ignored the crash on purpose.
“That is pitiful and disgraceful. The plane was in pieces and not one person batted an eye. I feel embarrassed, ashamed, and disgusted to say these people live in this world.”
User @localequestion9040 on YouTube
Other Incidents
This is not the first time that gender reveal stunts ended in the death of innocent people. In Cancun, Mexico, a pilot and co-pilot crashed into open water after it flew over a boat of guests. The aircraft was showcasing a banner that revealed the gender of the baby. Witnesses shouted “It’s a girl!” before they saw the crash and started screaming.
In 2020, a Californian couple caused the deadly El Dorado fire for their party. They used a “smoke generating pyrotechnic device” to reveal the child’s gender and unknowingly burned over 22,774 acres. A firefighter passed away, two were injured, and many homes were burned down. The couple faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Woman Behind the Trend
“When I first saw that a gender-reveal party had caused a forest fire I cried because I felt responsible.”
Jenna Karvunidis
The woman who started the trend in 2008 is now wishing people would stop participating in gender reveal parties. Jenna Karvunidis states that she regrets creating these types of problematic parties because “Who cares what the baby’s gender is”. She also did not want to endorse the “extravagant choreographed reveals” that have resulted in preventable deaths.
