Nine killed as private jet crashes near homes and roadway in South Florida

All nine people aboard a business jet were killed when the aircraft plunged into a South Florida neighbourhood on Sunday, November 1, and burst into flames near a busy roadway. The crash occurred close to homes and passing vehicles, with footage capturing the aircraft's descent and the explosion that followed.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the Learjet 60 went down in Palm Beach County at 12:50 p.m. He confirmed that everyone aboard had died and described the crash as a "horrific tragedy." Authorities did not immediately identify the people on the flight or say what had caused the aircraft to fall.

The jet had left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was travelling to the Bahamas, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Airport spokesperson Jim Reynolds said the aircraft was privately operated but could not immediately share information about those aboard. "This is definitely a tragedy," Reynolds said.

Recordings made by people inside cars showed the jet diving toward the ground before striking near the roadway and exploding into a large fireball. The aircraft appeared to narrowly miss nearby homes. People at the scene expressed shock at how close it had come to houses and vehicles passing through the area.

Thick black smoke spread over the crash site. Around the crater, flames burned among pieces of pavement as people gathered nearby. Whether any homes had been damaged remained unclear. The footage showed the immediate aftermath of the impact, but officials had not yet explained the circumstances that led to the crash.

The aircraft came down near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office shut roads in both directions and asked drivers to stay away from the area. Firefighters and other emergency responders rushed to the scene. A woman working nearby said the electricity had been out in the area for about two hours after the crash.

Federal investigators will examine what caused the aircraft to go down. Duffy said the FAA was dispatching a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation. The circumstances of the crash remained under investigation, with no immediate explanation from authorities for why the flight from Texas to the Bahamas ended in Palm Beach County.