George Bush Sr's plane crashes

Bush (l) had been planning to travel to Ecuador in the plane

A private jet has crashed in the US state of Texas on its way to pick up former US President George HW Bush, killing all three people on board.

The Gulfstream G-1159A plane went down on Monday morning after clipping a light tower in thick fog on the approaches to Houston airport.

Mr Bush, 80, was planning to travel to Ecuador to speak to business leaders, but has now cancelled the trip.

He said he was saddened by the deaths of the crew, whom he knew well.

Mr Bush, who is the father of current US President George W Bush, is a resident of Houston.

Debris

The jet, owned by a charter firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was on its way from Love Field in Dallas.

It hit a light tower on a main road in Houston at around 0615 (1215 GMT), 1.5 miles (2.5km) from the airport.

The aircraft lost part of its wing, and scattered debris over a 100-yard (100m) area. Part of the road was sealed off.

The two male pilots and a female flight attendant were killed.