Two dead as Hurricane Melissa relief flight to Jamaica crashes in Florida leaving large debris field: ‘No actual plane to be seen’

Crews spotted scattered debris nearby after the crash, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Moser told the Associated Press. No homes were damaged, and crews initially did not find any victims in the water, according to Moser.

“There was no actual plane to be seen,” he said. “They followed the debris trail to the water. We had divers that entered the water and tried to search for any victims and didn’t find any.”

The Independent has contacted the Coral Springs Police Department for comment.

First responders reported smelling fuel in the neighborhood when they arrived at the scene, according to dispatch audio reviewed by CBS News. As emergency responders searched the scene, a report came in that crews were “finding body parts,” according to the obtained dispatch audio.

Marcos Lima, who witnessed the crash, told Local 10 News he saw “this black figure, it was a plane, going straight down.” He then saw “pieces of the plane and body parts everywhere,” Lima told the outlet.

The aircraft departed from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at 10:14 a.m., en route to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica, a City of Fort Lauderdale spokesperson told The Independent. There’s no information available about the people on board, the spokesperson added.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in Jamaica late last month. At least 32 people were killed in Jamaica, and more than 100,000 housing structures were damaged, according to the United Nations. About 36,000 residents are also in need of food assistance, the UN said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the crash, the agency said in a statement on X. The Federal Aviation Administration and Broward Sheriff’s Office have also joined the investigation, the Coral Springs Police Department said.

Residents may still notice a “strong” fuel odor, the Coral Springs Police Department warned on Monday afternoon.

“While the majority of these fumes have evaporated, it may take time for the remainder to dissipate,” the police department said. “The city strongly recommends residents in the area to avoid being outdoors and keep doors closed for the remainder of the night.”

The plane was registered to International Air Services, the Associated Press reports, citing FAA data. The company declined to provide comment to The Independent when reached by phone on Monday afternoon.