Private jets’ collision at Scottsdale, Arizona kills 1

Two private jets collided at Scottsdale Airport’s runway in the US southwestern state of Arizona on Monday, killing at least one person and injuring others, officials said.

“A Learjet 35A veered off the runway after landing and crashed into a Gulfstream 200 business jet on the ramp at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona around 2:45 p.m. local time Monday, Feb. 10 (2145 GMT),” the US Federal Aviation Administration said.

At least four other people were injured in the crash, according to Scottsdale Fire Department Capt. Dave Folio.

The FAA added that the number of people on board the colliding jets was unknown.

What do we know about the crash?

Of the injured people, two were taken to trauma centers and one person whose condition is stable was taken to a hospital, Folio said.

He added that one of the passengers remained trapped in one of the jets, adding that “we’re doing everything we can to extricate and save the one soul that’s still on board.”

The reason why the plane veered off has yet to be confirmed. The FAA said that it is investigating the cause behind the crash.

“The FAA is temporarily pausing flights into the airport,” the administration, which has launched an investigation into the collision, added.

Scottsdale airport is a popular hub for jets frequenting the Phoenix area, particularly during big sporting events.

The crash in Scottsdale adds to a series of major plane crashes that occurred in the US in the past two weeks. Late in January a passenger jet collided with US Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C. midair, killing 67 people. Days later, a medical jet crashied in Philadelphia, killing seven people and last week, a plane crashed in Alaska killing 10 people.

Edited by Rana Taha