All nine people have died who were aboard a business jet that crashed in a Florida neighborhood on Sunday, Sean Duffy, the US transportation secretary, said. The aircraft erupted in a massive fireball that appeared to just miss homes before crashing near a busy roadway.
Duffy posted on X on Sunday that the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach county at 12.50pm and called it a “horrific tragedy”. The Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the cause, he said.
The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom international airport in Texas and was headed to the Bahamas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Authorities did not immediately say what caused the jet to go down or who was on it.
Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for the airport, said it was a private aircraft. He could not immediately provide details about who was on the flight.
“This is definitely a tragedy,” he said.
He said the tail number for the flight was N722BD.
Video shot from people inside their cars captured the terrifying moment the aircraft plunged from the sky, before striking near the roadway and exploding. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater as people milled about, expressing shock it landed only feet from homes and only inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke engulfed the crash site.
It was unclear if the crash caused any damage to homes.
The crash occurred near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. The Palm Beach county sheriff’s office closed roads in both directions and urged motorists to avoid the area. Firefighters and other emergency personnel rushed to the scene.
A woman working nearby said electricity in the area had been out for approximately two hours following the crash.
The circumstances of the crash remained under investigation.
