A jet crashed in Palm Beach, Florida, near Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, resulting in the deaths of nine people.
According to reports from CNN and other outlets, a small business jet, a Learjet 60, crashed around 1 p.m. local time on November 1 while en route from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas.
All nine individuals on board were killed, and nearby homes and businesses sustained damage. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the identities of the victims.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed condolences, stating, "The plane crash in Palm Beach County today was a terrible tragedy." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a "catastrophic plane crash," likening it to a missile strike.
Notably, the crash site is less than seven miles (approximately 11 kilometers) from Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, making it a mere 10-minute drive away. The location is also close to Donald Trump International Airport.
Trump was reported to have departed from Donald Trump International Airport aboard Air Force One at 11:55 a.m., approximately one hour before the crash, and is safe.
The exact cause of the crash remains unknown, but prior to the incident, the pilot reported ice accumulation on the aircraft. The pilot later declared a "Mayday, Mayday" to the Miami Air Traffic Control Center, indicating they were descending at a rate of 10,000 feet per minute.
Communications obtained by the aviation communication site LiveATC revealed that the outside temperature at the time of the crash was minus 47 degrees Celsius, and the aircraft was experiencing turbulence, causing it to fluctuate by up to 700 feet.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), this incident marks the second deadliest aviation accident in the U.S. this year, following a June skydiving plane crash in Missouri that resulted in 12 fatalities.
Additionally, data from the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) indicates that this crash is the worst incident involving a Learjet 60. Previously, the deadliest incident occurred in 2008 when a Learjet 60 crashed shortly after takeoff from Columbia, South Carolina, en route to Los Angeles, killing four people.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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