Florida: Learjet 60 crash kills nine people

A Learjet 60 business jet came down in a built-up area of Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday 1 November 2026. According to US authorities, none of the nine people on board survived.

What is known about the crash

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the crash. The aircraft came down at about 12:50pm Eastern time (5:50pm in the UK) near Cresthaven, a neighbourhood of West Palm Beach. Duffy called the incident a "horrific tragedy".

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading for the Bahamas. Polish media citing CNN say there are no reports of casualties on the ground.

Footage posted online shows the aircraft hitting the ground in a residential area, right next to a road, followed by an explosion and smoke. Residents also spoke of a huge bang. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told a press conference that it looked like a falling rocket.

Investigation and circumstances

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause. According to CNN, there were thunderstorms in the area at the time, but it is not yet known whether they played a part. According to TVN24, the crew sent a "mayday" signal.

The crash site is about 6.5 km south of West Palm Beach airport. President Donald Trump had been there earlier that day and left on Air Force One a little over an hour before the crash. The BBC notes that the crash happened near the Mar-a-Lago resort. None of the sources cited, however, links the crash to the president's visit.

The authorities have not named the victims in the reports cited. Details about the passengers and crew have not been confirmed.

What happens next

Investigators will work to establish the cause. Initial information may change as the investigation progresses, and official findings are usually published only after the analysis is complete.