A business jet has crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Florida, killing all nine people on board, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The Learjet 60 crashed near Cresthaven, about nine miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach County, at approximately 12:50 local time on Sunday.
The aircraft had departed Austin, Texas, and was heading to the Bahamas, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
Images from the scene showed a large crater in the middle of Military Trail, a six-lane road, with flames and aircraft debris scattered across the area.
Authorities said there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries among people on the ground.
Flight-tracking data indicated the aircraft was descending rapidly before the crash, with its descent rate reaching thousands of feet per minute.
Air traffic control recordings captured the crew reporting moderate turbulence, ice and precipitation as they attempted to manage the aircraft.
A crew member was heard saying the aircraft was “picking up precipitation” and “we need to climb”.
Moments later, the same voice reported a rapid descent, with the aircraft dropping at approximately 10,000 feet per minute.
The crew subsequently declared an emergency, with a pilot heard saying: “we are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000ft per minute”.
The pilot then warned: “we are going to crash into the ground”.
About 35 seconds after the initial emergency announcement, the final cockpit transmission was: “we’re out of time”.
Unverified footage circulating on social media appeared to show the aircraft descending almost vertically into the ground before exploding into a fireball.
The video showed vehicles travelling along a residential street before the jet plunged into the ground, sending flames and debris across the area.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the footage as disturbing.
“When you see that video, it’s a jarring thing,” DeSantis told reporters at a news conference after the crash.
“It’s like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere.”
DeSantis said authorities had not received reports of anyone on the ground being killed or injured.
The governor added that about 600 residents of a nearby mobile-home community were being evacuated following the crash.
Local officials said the impact damaged infrastructure, including water lines, and that Military Trail could remain closed for at least 30 days.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue declared a mass casualty incident, while emergency teams worked at the crash site.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a “horrific tragedy”.
Duffy said the FAA was sending a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will lead the investigation.
“Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” Duffy added.
Thunderstorms had been reported in the area around the time of the crash, with heavy rain continuing during the news conference.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the nine people who died.
President Donald Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday morning and departed from a nearby airport aboard Air Force One about an hour before the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s final flight, cockpit communications and weather conditions to determine what caused the crash.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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