Nine dead in Florida Learjet crash

A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed in a residential neighbourhood in Palm Beach County on Sunday, November 1, killing everyone aboard, according to US authorities.

The aircraft went down near Cresthaven in the Lake Worth Beach and Greenacres area at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time, equivalent to 7:50 p.m. in Rwanda and Burundi.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when the accident occurred.

Images and videos from the crash site showed a large crater on the roadside, burning wreckage and debris scattered across the surrounding area.

The aircraft crashed close to a mobile-home community, prompting emergency services to respond and authorities to close the affected road.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a major tragedy, saying the aircraft appeared to be falling like a missile before exploding on impact.

“When you see that video, it’s a jarring thing. It was like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere”, DeSantis told reporters near the crash site.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people aboard the aircraft had died.

However, authorities had not immediately released their identities or clarified how many of those aboard were passengers and crew members.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said approximately 600 residents living near the crash site were evacuated as a precaution and arrangements were made to provide them with temporary shelter.

Officials also said there were no confirmed reports of deaths or injuries among people on the ground at the time of the initial announcements.

The circumstances surrounding the accident have drawn particular attention after air traffic control recordings revealed the aircraft's final communications with controllers.

According to Reuters, the pilot initially reported dealing with ice accumulation on the aircraft and experiencing moderate turbulence while seeking better flying conditions.

Less than a minute later, the pilot issued a mayday call, reporting that the aircraft was descending rapidly.

The reported descent rate increased from approximately 10,000 feet per minute to 22,000 feet per minute before the pilot warned that the aircraft was about to hit the ground.

Flight-tracking data reviewed by Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft’s vertical descent rate briefly exceeded 32,000 feet per minute.

However, investigators have not established whether icing, turbulence or other technical or operational factors caused the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead in investigating the accident, with support from the FAA.

Investigators were expected to examine the aircraft wreckage, flight data and communications to establish what happened during the aircraft’s final moments.

The crash occurred during a period of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in the region, although authorities have not confirmed whether the weather contributed to the accident.

Meanwhile, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, urging motorists to avoid the area while emergency teams and investigators continued their work.

US President Donald Trump had visited his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach earlier on Sunday but had departed the area aboard Air Force One approximately an hour before the crash.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities yet to establish the definitive cause of the accident.