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All nine people on board a private jet were killed after it crashed into a residential area in South Florida on Sunday (local time), triggering a massive fireball and prompting emergency crews to shut down nearby roads.
"Today's plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida is a horrific tragedy," US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X, confirming that all nine people on board the Learjet 60 had been killed. https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/2116996729962721424?a=KbTCTbba974PdNCzyAs&s=20 According to Fox News, the aircraft crashed near Cresthaven, Florida, around 12:50 PM, approximately nine miles from US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. Duffy said the aircraft had departed from Austin, Texas, and was headed to the Bahamas. "The FAA is sending a team to the scene to support the NTSB's investigation," he said, adding that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Department of Transportation were closely monitoring the crash and would share updates as they became available. The FAA confirmed that the aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. "The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates," the agency said in a statement. Fox News reported that emergency crews shut down Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, urging residents and motorists to avoid the area. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue described the incident as an extended emergency operation in a post on X, asking the public to stay away from the affected area. Videos circulating on social media showed the aircraft descending rapidly before an explosion sent flames and thick smoke into the air. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the Learjet initially climbed to a cruising altitude of 41,000 feet after departing Austin. It began descending near Naples, Florida, before briefly climbing again and entering a steep right-hand descent at around 5:48 p.m. UTC. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, with the latter leading the probe. (ANI)
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