The aircraft departed Monterrey at 3:30 AM. for a flight to Toluca, a city just outside of Mexico City, a flight that would have taken about an hour. According to authorities communication with the plane was lost 10 minutes after departure.

The Learjet 25 is a ten seat (two crew and eight passengers), twin-engine, high speed business jet aircraft manufactured by Learjet. It is a stretched version of the Learjet 24.

Rivera was a generous supporter of Latino youth empowerment initiatives and had been an active member of Voto Latino's celebrity coalition and contributed multiple Radio PSA's to the organization's past voter registration and Census campaigns. 

Rivera's passing is a loss not just to her music fans and the Latino community, but to artist activists worldwide. From Rivera's outspoken opposition to Arizona's SB1070 legislation to her participation in Voto Latino's youth-focused initiatives, the U.S. Latino community has lost an important advocate and role model. 

The NTSB is dispatching investigators to assist the government of Mexico in its investigation of the crash. The investigation is being conducted by the Mexican Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) which will release all information.