A private jet carrying eight people has crashed while taking off from Bangor International Airport in the US state of Maine, aviation authorities have reported.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 went down around 19:45 local time (00:45 GMT on Monday), although the fates and identities of those onboard remain unknown.
This tragic incident coincided with a dangerous winter storm sweeping across the region, which has already claimed several lives and left hundreds of thousands without power. Reportedly, pilots faced significant visibility challenges before the crash.
Bangor continues to be under a winter storm warning until Tuesday, with forecasts predicting heavy snowfall.
Following the incident, Bangor International Airport has been closed while emergency services respond to the crash site, urging the public to stay away from the area.
Air traffic control audio, shared by CBS News and obtained by LiveATC.net, captured communication about poor visibility shortly before the crash; however, it is unclear which aircraft were involved in those discussions. Moments later, it was reported from the control tower that there's a passenger aircraft upside down with images from the scene showing smoke and flames on the runway.
This distressing event has compounded widespread travel disruptions due to the storm, with over 11,000 flight cancellations and almost 5,500 delays experienced across the US on Sunday, according to FlightAware. Key airports including those in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York were severely affected.
Forecasts suggest that parts of Maine, including Bangor, may see accumulations of 10 to 16 inches (25-40cm) of snow by Tuesday morning, as issued by the National Weather Service.
