A Learjet 60 crashed into a neighbourhood in southern Florida on Sunday, killing all nine people on board, officials said. The aircraft had departed from Austin, Texas, and was bound for the Bahamas, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The crash occurred near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, less than 11 kilometres from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a “cataclysmic plane crash” and said there were no reports of injuries among people on the ground.
The aircraft came down near the entrance to a mobile home park, prompting the evacuation of about 600 residents to shelters, Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said. Unverified videos shared on social media appeared to show the plane descending almost vertically before striking the ground and producing a large fireball.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the crash. Storms had been reported in the area at the time.
An audio recording posted on the LiveATC website captured a cockpit report of moderate turbulence, icing and precipitation. Shortly afterwards, a crew member requested to climb and reported that the plane was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. The crew then declared an emergency and reported a descent rate of 20,000 feet per minute before communications ended.
Sources: Euronews English.