FAA says NTSB will investigate; Bombardier supports inquiry and extends condolences
Storyful verified social media footage of the jet crashing into the ground, exploding in a fireball and leaving a large crater in the road. Storyful is owned by News Corp, the parent company of The Wall Street Journal.
Authorities were relocating residents of a mobile home park near the site of the crash to shelters as the investigation continued.
Bombardier, which manufactures the Learjet 60, said it would support and cooperate with authorities investigating the crash. A company representative said it could not comment on a potential cause while the investigation was ongoing. The manufacturer also offered condolences: “We at Bombardier are deeply saddened by this tragic event and extend our sincerest sympathies to all those affected,” the company said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Learjet 60 crashed near Cresthaven around 12:50 p.m. local time Sunday, killing all nine people aboard. The FAA said the business jet departed Austin, Texas, and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said debris from the crash spread over a significant distance. As of Sunday, there were no reports of anyone else killed or injured other than those on the plane, DeSantis said.
“Obviously this was a cataclysmic plane crash,” DeSantis said Sunday. “It looked like a missile going down.”
The FAA said federal aviation authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board, would investigate the crash. There was no information immediately available about the identities of those aboard.
Duffy also posted a message on social media. “Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” Duffy said.