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A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed into a South Florida neighborhood on Sunday, killing everyone on board. The aircraft plunged nose-first from the sky and erupted into a massive fireball near a busy roadway in Palm Beach County, leaving a fiery crater in the pavement and narrowly missing nearby homes and passing vehicles.
Flight Details and Casualties Confirmed
The jet departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to the Bahamas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on social media that all nine people aboard the Learjet 60 died in the crash. He did not address whether anyone on the ground suffered injuries.
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Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed the aircraft was privately operated. He identified the tail number as N722BD but could not immediately provide details about the passengers or crew. “This is definitely a tragedy,” Reynolds said.
Dramatic Scene Near Palm Beach County Roadway
The crash happened near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. Bystanders inside their vehicles captured video of the aircraft falling from the sky before it struck the ground and exploded. Flames spread across chunks of broken pavement surrounding the crater, while thick black smoke rose over the crash site.
Witnesses expressed shock that the jet came down just feet from residential homes and narrowly missed vehicles traveling on the road. It remained unclear whether the crash caused structural damage to any nearby properties.
Emergency Response and Investigation
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office closed roads in both directions around the crash site and urged drivers to avoid the area. Firefighters and emergency personnel responded quickly to the scene. A woman working nearby reported that the area lost electricity for approximately two hours following the crash.
Duffy said the FAA would send a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the incident. Authorities did not immediately identify a cause for the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
