A business jet crashed into a Florida neighborhood on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of all nine people on board. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities and described the incident as a horrific tragedy. It is not yet clear who was aboard the jet when it crashed. Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” Duffy added.
The Learjet 60, which had departed from Austin, Texas, and was en route to the Bahamas, went down at approximately 12:50 EST. The crash occurred near the Cresthaven neighborhood, roughly nine miles from Mar-a-Lago, the resort of President Donald Trump. Some nine miles (14 km) from Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach County, around 12:50 EST (17:50 GMT), the crash happened near the neighbourhood of Cresthaven.
Images from the site reveal a crater-sized impact point on a residential road, with scattered aircraft debris and fire damage. Unverified social media footage appears to capture the final moments, showing the jet nosediving almost vertically before erupting into a large fireball upon ground impact. According to US media, And flight analysis indicate that the jet was plummeting hundreds of feet per second before crashing. Unverified footage posted on social media shows what appears to be a dash-camera recording the moment of the crash.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and told reporters that the sight was jarring, comparing the descent to a missile strike. He noted that while the aircraft was destroyed, there were no reported deaths or injuries among people on the ground. 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, when you see that video. According to deSantis, “as of now, we don’t have any reports of anyone who was on the ground…who was killed or injured”.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reported that the collision occurred on Military Trail, a busy six-lane road lined with businesses. Due to the extent of the disaster, local authorities declared a mass casualty incident.
Emergency officials initiated an evacuation for 600 residents from a nearby trailer-park community as a precautionary measure. The impact caused significant damage to local infrastructure, specifically water lines, and authorities expect the road to remain closed for at least 30 days.
Thunderstorms were reported in the vicinity during the afternoon, and heavy rain persisted throughout the official briefing.
Regarding the investigation, Secretary Duffy stated that the Federal Aviation Administration is deploying a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in their review.
While President Trump had visited his Mar-a-Lago resort earlier that Sunday, he had departed the area on Air Force One roughly one hour before the aircraft struck the ground.
