All nine persons aboard a business jet were killed when the aircraft crashed in a residential neighbourhood in Florida, about nine miles from United States President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, authorities have confirmed.
The Learjet 60 went down near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County at approximately 12:50 EST (17:50 GMT) on Sunday, leaving a large crater on a multi-lane road. Although the crash caused extensive destruction, no casualties were reported among people on the ground.
The aircraft had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was travelling to the Bahamas when it crashed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Flight data analysis suggests the jet was descending at an extremely high speed shortly before impact, while audio recordings from air traffic control captured the crew reporting turbulence and difficulties associated with ice.
In the cockpit recording, a crew member initially reported “moderate turbulence” and that the crew was “managing the ice”.
The person subsequently reported that the aircraft was “picking up precipitation” and “we need to climb”. Moments later, the same voice said the plane was descending at a rate of 10,000ft (3,048m) per minute.
The crew member declared an emergency, yelling “we are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000ft per minute”, before saying, “we are going to crash into the ground”.
About 35 seconds after the initial mayday announcement, the last remark from the cockpit was “we’re out of time”.
Footage circulating on social media, which has not been verified, appears to show the aircraft plunging almost vertically towards a residential road before exploding into a fireball. The recording, reportedly captured by a vehicle’s dashboard camera, shows other cars travelling along the street moments before the impact.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the footage as disturbing while addressing reporters after the incident.
“When you see that video, it’s a jarring thing,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters at a news conference after the crash. “It’s like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere.”
Authorities have yet to establish the identities of those aboard the aircraft. However, DeSantis confirmed that there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries among people on the ground.
“As of now, we don’t have any reports of anyone who was on the ground…who was killed or injured”, he said.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a “horrific tragedy”, adding that the FAA was deploying a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with its investigation.
“Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” Duffy added.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue subsequently declared a “mass casualty incident” as emergency services responded to the crash site.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office identified Military Trail, a six-lane road lined with businesses and restaurants, as the location of the crash.
The impact also disrupted essential infrastructure in the surrounding area, with local officials reporting significant damage to water lines. They estimated that repairs and other work would keep the road closed for at least 30 days.
Meanwhile, approximately 600 residents of a nearby trailer-park community were ordered to evacuate as authorities assessed the damage and managed the aftermath of the incident.
The crash occurred during unsettled weather conditions, with thunderstorms reported in the area and heavy rainfall continuing during the news conference.
Trump was at Mar-a-Lago earlier on Sunday but had left the area aboard Air Force One from a nearby airport approximately an hour before the aircraft crashed.
- BBC News