Duffy confirms nine dead in Florida private jet crash
A Learjet 60 heading from Texas to the Bahamas broke apart near a busy intersection in Palm Beach County, creating a large crater and killing all occupants.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on Sunday that all nine people aboard a private jet died when the aircraft crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida. The crash occurred on a busy roadway near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, generating a large fireball and leaving a deep crater in the pavement.
The Learjet 60, identified by tail number N722BD, departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane was scheduled to fly to the Bahamas. Authorities have not yet released the names of the passengers or crew, nor have they determined the specific cause of the crash.
Witnesses inside nearby vehicles captured video of the plane falling in a steep dive before impact. Thick black smoke enveloped the site as flames flickered around broken pieces of pavement. Emergency crews from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office arrived quickly to close the roads in both directions and direct traffic around the area.
Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, described the incident as a tragedy. He confirmed the aircraft was privately owned but said he could not provide further details about the occupants at the time of the announcement. A woman working in the vicinity reported that power was cut to the area for approximately two hours following the collision.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. Duffy stated that the Federal Aviation Administration will send a team to support that investigation. The FAA had not previously indicated what triggered the fall or who was on board prior to the Sunday announcement.
Police in Palm Beach County asked drivers to avoid the zone while responders worked the scene. It remained unclear if the impact caused damage to nearby homes. The plane landed just meters from houses and centimeters from passing vehicles, according to witness accounts.
The crash site remains near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. Emergency personnel continued to assess the area on Sunday afternoon. The investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
Source: Stamford Advocate
