Nine killed as private jet crashes in Florida's Palm Beach County
Nine people died when a private Learjet crashed in a residential area of southern Florida, according to US officials.
Key Takeaways
AIUS transportation officials said nine people were killed when a private Learjet crashed Sunday afternoon in a residential area of Palm Beach County, southern Florida.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
Videos shared on social media showed the plane coming down next to a road, followed by a large explosion and debris scattered across the area.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said at a press conference near the crash site in Lake Worth Beach: "It was a major tragedy. When you see that video, it's shocking. It looked like a missile coming down, then a huge explosion and debris flying everywhere."
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it had launched an investigation into the crash, which US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg described as a "horrific tragedy."
FAA records indicated the aircraft was a Learjet 60 manufactured by Bombardier and owned by a company registered in Delaware.
Canadian company Bombardier confirmed its full support for the investigation and said it would cooperate with authorities as needed.