An American private jet, with six people on board, crashed into a military neighbourhood in San Diego early Thursday after hitting a power line. All six passengers, including a music talent agent, flying in the Cessna 550 were presumed, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Assistant San Diego Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said that the fog was so thick that morning that one could barely see anything in front of them. Offcials further revealed that the private jet began its journey from Teterbo, New Jersey, near Manhattan, at about 11:15 pm Wednesday. Thereafter, its made a fuel stop in Wichita, Kansas, and continued to fly towards San Diego. Its flight path indicated that it was destined for Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it hit power lines about 3.2 kilometers southeast of the air field, as per Elliot Simpson with the NTSB.
San Diego plane crash victims
Two fatalities were previously confirmed by San Diego Fire-Rescue. Plus, a spokesperson for a music talent agency housed in San Diego said three of their employees died in the crash after the Cessna 550 slammed into a home, ultimately bursting into flames. As of now, the names of Dave Shapiro, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, and Daniel Williams, former drummer for metal-core band The Devil Wears Prada, have surfaced as confirmed fatalities.
Other plane crash victims have yet to be identified. According to an NBC San Diego report, the private jet in question was registered to Dave Shapiro, who was a registered a pilot, flight instructor and ground instructor.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time,” Sound Talent Group’s spokesperson said in a written statement.
US private jet crash: Damage caused, evacuations underway
San Diego police officer Anthony Carrasco established that no one in the neighbourhood lost their life due to the US plane crash. However, eight were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and non-threatening injuries. A person was also hurt while climbing out a window.
An official number of fatalities has yet to be released as authorities continue to recover the bodies and identify the victims. Several homes were impacted by the early morning nightmare and the subsequent mess created by jet fuel and plane debris. San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy believes that at least 10 home and a consequential chunk of vehicles were damages. At least 100 residents were evacuated.
“When it hit the street, as the jet fuel went down, it took out every single car that was on both sides of the street on fire,” he said. “So if you saw the scene… you could see that every single car was burning down both sides of the street.” Meanwhile, the Associated Press signalled that at least one home was destroyed in Murphy Canyon, the largest neighbourhood of Navy-owned housing in the country.
With inputs from agencies. This is an ongoing investigation.