Private Jet Crashes Near Trump's Mar-a-Lago in Florida, All 9 Aboard Killed
A private passenger jet has crashed in Palm Beach, Florida, in the United States, killing all nine people aboard, including the pilot.
The crash site is only 14.48 kilometres (9 miles) from President Donald Trump's private residence, Mar-a-Lago. The accident happened on Saturday afternoon.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United States civil aviation authority, the aircraft had departed from Bergstrom Airport in Austin, Texas, bound for the Bahamas.
In a statement, the FAA said the private jet, carrying nine people, came down in a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach, South Florida. The aircraft caught fire immediately after the crash, causing a large blaze.
The FAA statement added that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will jointly investigate the incident; the NTSB will lead the investigation and provide all further information.
Emergency crews closed Military Trail road between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North and advised the public to avoid the area.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue wrote on its X account: 'A plane crash has occurred. Please avoid the area. It may take a long time for the situation to return to normal.'
Videos circulating on social media showed the aircraft descending rapidly, followed by an explosion that sent smoke and flames into the sky.
According to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, the Learjet aircraft departed Austin at 3:37pm bound for the Bahamas and was flying at 41,000 feet before it came down.
