Cresthaven:A tragic plane crash in Florida claimed the lives of nine individuals, including a 20-year-old co-pilot who had earned her pilot's license while still in high school. The incident occurred on Sunday when a business jet crashed after departing from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the co-pilot was identified as Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. Family members confirmed that Filgueiras had been working as a commercial pilot for nine months and had accumulated 1,300 flight hours. Her aviation journey began in Palm Beach County, where she gained attention for obtaining her private pilot's license at the age of 17, even before acquiring a driver's license.

The aircraft, a Learjet 60, encountered severe difficulties after takeoff, entering a steep dive and descending at a rate of over 20,000 feet per minute before crashing in a residential area near Cresthaven at approximately 1250 pm local time (1750 GMT). Air traffic control recordings revealed that the cockpit reported moderate turbulence and atmospheric icing, with temperatures outside dropping to minus 47C (minus 52.6F), leading to an emergency Mayday call as the plane rapidly lost altitude.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. The NTSB is set to provide a media briefing at 1 pm local time (1800 GMT) to discuss the ongoing investigation.