Nine people were killed when a business jet crashed into a residential area in South Florida, United States.
The crash occurred near the Cresthaven neighbourhood around 12:50pm EST (5:50pm GMT), approximately nine miles (14km) from US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in the affluent Palm Beach County area, reports BBC.
Everyone aboard the aircraft died in the accident. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a “horrific tragedy” in a post on X on Sunday.
Duffy said personnel from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were travelling to the crash site to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in its investigation into the cause of the crash.
Audio recordings from the cockpit, obtained by LiveATC.net, captured the pilot reporting what he described as “manageable” icing conditions shortly before the crash. Moments later, however, he warned that the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude, reports Al Jazeera.
Shortly before impact, members of the flight crew were heard saying in alarm: “We’re going to crash into the ground.”
The aircraft involved was a Learjet 60, a widely used business jet, travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport confirmed that the aircraft was privately operated but did not disclose the identities of those on board.
Videos shared on social media appeared to show the jet descending at high speed and striking the ground at a steep angle before erupting in a massive explosion.
Footage recorded after the crash showed flames burning among scattered wreckage and broken sections of pavement, while bystanders gathered nearby.
The aircraft appeared to have come down only a short distance from residential homes and parked vehicles. However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said there were no indications of any fatalities on the ground.
Speaking at the scene, DeSantis described the crash as “cataclysmic,” saying the aircraft “looked like a missile going down” and left a large crater beside the roadway.
