All 9 people aboard a jet that crashed in Florida have died, transportation secretary says
Key Points:
- A Learjet 60 business jet carrying nine people crashed into a South Florida neighborhood near Greenacres on Sunday, causing a massive fireball and killing everyone on board, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
- The plane, traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to the Bahamas, entered a steep nose dive after pilots reported turbulence, icing, and precipitation, ultimately crashing near a busy road and narrowly missing homes and vehicles.
- The pilot declared an emergency as the aircraft rapidly descended at rates up to 30,000 feet per minute, with air traffic control recordings capturing the distress calls and acknowledgment of the impending crash.
- No injuries or deaths were reported on the ground, but authorities evacuated about 600 residents from a nearby mobile home community, and the crash site remains closed as federal investigators from the FAA and NTSB begin their work.
- The crash occurred amid heavy rain and a flood watch in the region, complicating rescue and investigation efforts in the city of Greenacres, approximately 7 miles southwest of West Palm Beach.