A private jet carrying eight people has crashed while taking off from Bangor International Airport in the U.S. state of Maine, aviation authorities have confirmed.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 went down at around 19:45 local time (00:45 GMT on Monday), the Federal Aviation Administration reported. The fate and identities of those on board remain unclear at this time.
The tragic incident occurred as a dangerous winter storm swept through a large part of the U.S., resulting in fatalities and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Reports indicated that pilots at Bangor Airport were having difficulties with visibility prior to the crash.
Bangor is currently under a winter storm warning until Tuesday, with heavy snowfall expected.
Following the incident, Bangor International Airport announced its closure and alerted emergency crews to respond to the scene, urging the public to steer clear of the area.
Audio captured from air traffic control, shared by CBS News and LiveATC.net, revealed discussions between controllers and pilots addressing the poor visibility shortly before the crash. Minutes later, audio indicated that there was 'a passenger aircraft upside down.' Images from the scene displayed smoke and flames on the runway.
The incident coincided with significant travel disruptions across the country due to the storm, leading to over 11,000 flight cancellations and nearly 5,500 delays on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware. Airports in major cities such as Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York, and New Jersey were notably affected.
The National Weather Service forecasts that Maine could see between 10 and 16 inches (25-40 cm) of snow accumulate by Tuesday morning.
