The aircraft, which departed from Austin, Texas, was heading to the Bahamas when it went down on Sunday, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Duffy described the incident as a horrific tragedy, confirming that everyone on board died in the crash.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also described the incident as a catastrophic aircraft crash, saying there were no reports of injuries among people on the ground.
The crash occurred near Cresthaven, a residential neighbourhood less than seven miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
Aircraft Reportedly Experienced Turbulence Before Crash
Audio recordings reportedly captured communications from the aircraft shortly before it crashed, with a person in the cockpit describing moderate turbulence and difficulties managing ice.
The recording, published on the aviation monitoring website LiveATC.net, reportedly captured the crew discussing precipitation and the need to climb to a higher altitude.
Moments later, the person declared an emergency, reporting a rapid descent.
“We’re going to crash into the ground,” the person was heard saying before communication with air traffic control ended.
Storms had reportedly been recorded in the area around the time of the incident. However, authorities have not established the cause of the crash.
Residents Evacuated as Investigations Begin
The aircraft crashed near the entrance to a mobile home park, prompting the evacuation of about 600 residents, according to Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores.
The affected residents were relocated to shelters as emergency personnel responded to the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Trump was reportedly at Mar-a-Lago earlier on Sunday but had departed from the nearby President Donald J. Trump International Airport aboard Air Force One at about 11:55 a.m., approximately an hour before the Learjet crashed.
The incident has raised questions about the aircraft’s final moments, including the reported turbulence, ice-management concerns and rapid descent.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, flight data and communications to establish what led to the crash.
