Nine dead as business jet crashes into Florida roadside: US official

Nine people on board a private jet have died after it crashed in a residential area in Florida.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says it was heading from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas.

The US Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the cause.

US officials say a small private jet has crashed into a southern Florida neighbourhood killing all nine people aboard.

The Learjet 60 erupted into a giant fireball, crashing near a busy roadway, on Sunday local time, in Palm Beach County.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement on X, "Today's plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida is a horrific tragedy".

The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to the Bahamas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Authorities did not immediately say what caused the jet to go down or who was onboard.

Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said it was a private aircraft. He could not immediately provide details about who was on the flight.

"This is definitely a tragedy," he said.

Mr Reynolds said the tail number for the flight was N722BD.

Video shot from people inside their cars captured the moment the aircraft plunged from the sky, before striking near the roadway and exploding.

Thick black smoke engulfed the crash site.

It was unclear if the crash caused any damage to nearby homes.

The crash occurred near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office closed roads in both directions and urged motorists to avoid the area. Firefighters and other emergency personnel rushed to the scene.

A woman working nearby said electricity in the area had been out for approximately two hours following the incident.

The circumstances of the crash remained under investigation.