Nine people were killed after a private business jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States.
All nine fatalities were passengers aboard the Learjet 60, which was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it went down Sunday.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a “horrific tragedy” in a post on X, confirming that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was sending personnel to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in investigating the crash.
Recordings of the cockpit communications shortly before the incident revealed that the pilots had been dealing with ice buildup, which they initially described as manageable.
However, the situation quickly deteriorated as the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly, with the crew heard expressing alarm and saying, “We’re going to crash into the ground.”
Videos circulating online showed the jet plunging toward the ground before erupting into a massive explosion, leaving burning debris and a large crater along a roadside.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who visited the crash site, described the incident as “cataclysmic,” comparing the descending aircraft to a missile.
Despite the plane crashing just meters away from nearby homes and vehicles, authorities reported no casualties among residents on the ground.
(Photo Courtesy: Reuters)
