A small business jet plunged onto a residential street in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths and called the crash a "horrific tragedy".
The crash happened at about 12:50 local time near Cresthaven, roughly nine miles (14km) from President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. The Learjet 60 had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was bound for the Bahamas, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Images from the scene showed a crater in the middle of a six-lane road, with patches of fire and debris scattered around it.
According to sources, air traffic control audio captured the pilot declaring an emergency and saying the aircraft was descending at 20,000 feet per minute, before telling the tower: "We're out of time." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the plane came down "like a missile", adding that there were no reports so far of anyone on the ground being killed or injured.
Officials said about 600 residents of a nearby trailer park were being evacuated, as the impact damaged water lines and other infrastructure, and the road would stay closed for at least 30 days. Thunderstorms had been reported in the area at the time. The identities of those on board have not been released, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.