Co-pilot identified in fatal Florida Learjet crash that killed nine

The co-pilot of a Learjet 60 that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon has been identified as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha. The New York Post reported that her mother, Camila, and her stepfather confirmed her identity. CNN, Al Jazeera, and Euronews all reported that nine people were killed in the crash, with no survivors among those on board. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The aircraft was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it went down in Florida. Al Jazeera reported that the jet crashed in Greenacres, near West Palm Beach. Euronews added that the crash site was near the Cresthaven neighborhood in Palm Beach County, located less than 11 kilometers from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort home. [1][4][6]

According to the New York Post, air traffic control audio recorded Gadelha pleading for help before the plane entered a steep nosedive, plummeting at more than 20,000 feet per minute before hitting the ground. Gadelha had previously earned her private pilot license at age 17 in October 2023, while she was still in high school and before she had obtained her driver license. [1]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal crash. Online rumors had suggested musician Lenny Kravitz was on the flight, but representatives for the singer confirmed that he was not on board the aircraft. [13][14]