Florida: Nine people were killed after a private Learjet 60 crashed near a residential neighbourhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday. The aircraft plunged rapidly towards the ground before bursting into a massive fireball near homes and a busy road. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people aboard the aircraft had died. Describing the incident as a horrific tragedy, he said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was sending a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation.
The jet had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It crashed near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in the Palm Beach County area. According to air traffic control recordings, the pilots reported icing conditions, turbulence and precipitation while flying at cruising altitude. They subsequently requested permission to climb. The aircraft then entered a rapid descent, with the reported descent rate reaching tens of thousands of feet per minute.
The pilot declared an emergency and issued distress calls as the aircraft continued losing altitude. Flight-tracking data indicated that the jet descended approximately 27,000 feet in about a minute before the tracking signal was lost. The aircraft struck the ground near a busy road, triggering a huge explosion. Videos recorded by people inside passing vehicles showed the jet plunging towards the ground before erupting into flames.
The crash created a large crater at the impact site, with thick black smoke rising from the area. The aircraft came down just a short distance from nearby homes and passing vehicles. It was not immediately clear whether any residential properties had sustained damage.
Authorities closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. Around 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community were evacuated as a precaution. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities among people on the ground. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash. The identities of those aboard the aircraft have not yet been officially released, and authorities have not established the cause of the accident.
