Florida, Nov 02 (V7N)- A private jet crashed near US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, killing all nine people on board, including the pilot, while no casualties were reported on the ground.
The aircraft, identified as a Learjet 60 business jet operating as flight N722BD, was reportedly travelling from Texas to the Bahamas when it encountered severe turbulence and possible icing conditions.
According to preliminary reports, the aircraft experienced multiple problems during the flight before rapidly losing altitude. Flight data reportedly indicated that its descent rate increased progressively, reaching approximately 30,000 feet per minute shortly before impact.
The crash occurred at around 1:00 pm local time. The impact scattered debris across a wide area, while footage of the aircraft's final moments was reportedly captured by a vehicle's dashboard camera.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a terrible accident, saying the crash appeared as though a missile had struck the ground. He also said he had contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the investigation.
Authorities confirmed that all nine occupants aboard the aircraft were killed. However, no injuries were reported among people on the ground.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump had reportedly been in Florida earlier that morning but left the state approximately an hour before the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in coordination with the FAA, is investigating the incident to determine its cause. Investigators are expected to examine possible factors, including severe turbulence, ice accumulation, adverse weather conditions and the aircraft's sudden loss of altitude.
The accident comes amid reports of stormy weather, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning across parts of Florida in recent days.
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been officially determined.
END/SMA/AJ
