All nine people aboard a Learjet 60 that crashed in a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday were killed, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, according to AFP.
Duffy’s statement, reproduced by Townhall, said the FAA was sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation. It did not identify those aboard or give information about people on the ground.
The FAA account put the crash at about 12:50 p.m. local time. It said the aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
Military Trail is closed in both directions between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue described the response as an "extended incident" and asked people to avoid the area, WPTV reported.
The sheriff’s office also said all northbound and southbound lanes were closed until further notice, in a separate statement reproduced by BocaNewsNow. Drivers should use another route around the affected stretch. No reopening time was given.
WPTV reported flames, thick smoke and debris across the roadway in video from the scene. Its account placed the emergency response near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, according to the FAA account. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide further updates.
