Nine killed as Learjet crashes on Florida road near Mar-a-Lago

Nine people were killed when a Learjet 60 business jet crashed on Military Trail, a six-lane road in Palm Beach County, Florida, at about 12:50 EST (17:50 GMT) on Sunday, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. No one on the ground was reported killed or injured.

The crash happened near Cresthaven, about nine miles (14km) from Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach County. Images from the scene showed a large crater in the middle of the multi-lane road, with fire and debris from the aircraft scattered across it.

Where was the Learjet flying?

The Learjet 60 had departed from Austin, Texas, and was heading to the Bahamas, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. Flight analysis indicated the jet was descending hundreds of feet per second before it hit the ground.

What did the cockpit audio record?

In air traffic control audio recorded moments before the crash, a crew member said the plane was descending at 10,000ft (3,048m) per minute and then declared an emergency: “we are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000ft per minute”, before adding “we are going to crash into the ground”. About 35 seconds after the initial mayday call, the last remark from the cockpit was “we’re out of time”.

Unverified footage posted on social media appeared to show a dash-camera recording of the moment of impact, with an aircraft nosediving almost vertically into a residential suburban street and exploding into a fireball. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters: “When you see that video, it’s a jarring thing. It’s like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere.”

What have officials said?

Duffy described the crash as a “horrific tragedy” and said the FAA was sending a team to the scene to help an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. “Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” he added. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue declared a “mass casualty incident”.

DeSantis said it was not yet clear who was aboard the jet. “As of now, we don’t have any reports of anyone who was on the ground… who was killed or injured,” the governor said at a news conference.

How many residents were evacuated?

DeSantis and local officials said 600 residents of a nearby trailer-park community were being evacuated. The impact damaged local infrastructure, including water lines, and officials said it would be at least 30 days before Military Trail, a road lined with businesses and restaurants, reopened.

Thunderstorms had been reported in the area at the time of the crash, and it was raining heavily as the news conference was held. Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday morning and departed from a nearby airport on Air Force One about an hour before the crash.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Florida jet crash?

Nine people were killed when the Learjet 60 came down on Military Trail in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday. Officials said there were no reports of anyone on the ground being killed or injured.

Where did the Learjet 60 take off and where was it going?

The aircraft had departed from Austin, Texas, and was headed to the Bahamas, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.

When will Military Trail reopen after the crash?

Local officials said it would be at least 30 days before the six-lane road reopened, after the impact damaged infrastructure including water lines.

How many people were evacuated after the crash?

Ron DeSantis and local officials said 600 residents of a nearby trailer-park community were being evacuated from the area.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)