Small plane crashes near highway in Florida; 3 people dead, 1 injured

A small plane, carrying three people, crashed near a major highway and railroad tracks in Boca Raton in South Florida, US, on Friday morning. All three passengers died in the crash while one other person got injured.

 

Notably, the incident occurred not very far from the Boca Raton Airport.

 

The Boca Raton police said that several roads near the crash site have been closed for now.

 

According to NBC, bodies were found with the wreckage, and a damaged vehicle was also seen nearby. 

The plane was on fire, with a large plume of smoke, and firefighters were responding, local media reported. 

    

   

  According to the Associated Press, The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating, with the NTSB leading the probe.  Fire officials told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the aircraft appeared to have pushed a car onto the railroad tracks, leading to their closure.  The fate of the car's occupants was unknown. Miguel Coka, 51, who works near the Boca Raton airport, said he is used to seeing planes flying low as they prepare to land. But this time, he and his colleagues noticed something was off.  “There was a rumble and everyone in the building felt it,” he said when the plane crashed. “We are all shocked.” He captured the smoke and flames from the crash from his office balcony on video.  Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said the investigation was just beginning. “We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community. At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities,” Singer said in a statement.  “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.” A major road was closed as crash investigation officers were redirecting traffic. Inside the police taped-off areas were Boca Raton police vehicles, airport operations vehicles and police mobile command units while helicopters circled the area.  (With inputs from AP)