West Palm Beach, 2 November (H.S.): Nine people were killed after a Bahamas-bound Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday and burst into flames, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

The aircraft crashed at around 12.50 pm local time near Military Trail in the Lake Worth Beach-Greenacres area, creating a large crater and triggering a fire. Videos recorded by motorists showed the jet plunging towards the ground before hitting the area near the roadway and erupting into a fireball. Thick black smoke rose from the crash site as emergency personnel rushed to the spot.

Duffy described the incident as a horrific tragedy in a post on X and said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who visited the scene, described the crash as cataclysmic and said there were no immediate reports of anyone on the ground being injured or killed. He said the aircraft had come down close to homes and passing vehicles.

According to the FAA, the jet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The identities of those on board had not been released.

Air traffic control recordings indicated that the pilot reported icing and moderate turbulence while the aircraft was flying at around 35,000 feet. The pilot requested permission to climb but subsequently declared an emergency as the aircraft began descending rapidly. In radio communications, the pilot reported an overspeed condition and warned that the aircraft was going to crash.

Palm Beach County authorities began evacuating around 600 people from a nearby mobile home community as emergency services responded to the crash. Military Trail was closed in the affected area, and residents were advised to stay away from the site.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the circumstances leading to the crash. No cause has been established.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar