At least nine people died Sunday when a Learjet 60 private jet crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The aircraft struck the ground at high speed and triggered a large fire.
The plane had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for The Bahamas, according to aviation records. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash after videos of the incident began circulating on social media.
The aircraft came down near 10th Avenue North and Military Trail, according to the local Fire Rescue Department. It struck the pavement close to a small shopping center and a manufactured-home community, raising concerns that people on the ground may also have been killed or injured. Authorities had not clarified whether there were additional victims.
Images from the scene showed a large crater, burning fragments and a dense column of black smoke. Firefighters described the crash as a major incident and carried out rescue operations in the area.
Sources: El País Internacional.