Seven Dead After Private Jet Crashes During Winter Storm

Seven people are dead, and one is injured after a private jet crashed in Maine on Sunday night.

The crash took place at around 7:45 p.m. at Bangor International Airport after the craft attempted to take off during harsh winter conditions. The identities of the victims have not yet been released, and federal authorities are expected to arrive on Monday to investigate. 

The Associated Press first reported the deaths and noted that the injured person was a crew member. 

“At approximately 7:45 p.m. there was an incident involving a single aircraft that was departing from [Bangor International Airport],” the airport announced Sunday. “First responders are still on scene and are expected to be actively working the site for several more hours before any additional information is available.”

Fire and rescue crews from the 101st Maine Air National Guard, firefighters from Bangor and nearby cities, and the Bangor Police Department all responded to the scene. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified the crashed plane as a Bombardier CL 600. The plane ended up upside down and on fire, the Bangor Daily News reported. 

The condition of the victims was not known for over 12 hours after the crash. Local officials said it was the responsibility of federal officials to release that information. The NTSB, however, said that local authorities handled updates on passenger conditions. 

When asked why it had been ruled safe for departure despite the snow and ice, the spokesman said that other planes were arriving and departing at the same time. 

“The snow removal operations were in progress and again, there were planes landing and departing… around that time of day,” the spokesman said. 

An airport spokesman said that federal investigators were expected to arrive on Monday. In a different statement, the NTSB said it expected to be on the scene soon. 

“A team of NTSB investigators is currently assembling and is expected to arrive on scene shortly. Once on site, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the NTSB said. 

A preliminary report on the crash will be released within 30 days.