Nine Dead After Learjet Crashes Near Mar-a-Lago

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities, labeling the incident a horrific tragedy. Footage circulating on social media captured the aircraft descending in a near-vertical trajectory before impacting the ground near a busy roadside. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.

Donald Trump had been at his Florida resort earlier that day. He departed from the President Donald J. Trump International Airport via Air Force One at 11:55 a.m., roughly one hour before the Learjet crashed. Regional weather reports indicated active storms in the area at the time of the flight, though investigators have yet to determine if environmental factors played a role in the accident.