Private jet crashes at Venezuela's main airport, injuring two
Two people rescued and in stable condition after a Learjet 55 crash during takeoff from Simón Bolívar International Airport outside Caracas, authorities said.
CARACAS, Venezuela — A private passenger jet crashed Wednesday as it departed from Venezuela’s main airport outside Caracas, injuring at least two people, authorities said.
The Learjet 55 was taking off from Simón Bolívar International Airport when it crashed to the ground, the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics said. The agency identified the two rescued individuals as passengers and said they were in stable condition after receiving medical attention. It did not say whether others were on board.
Search and rescue protocols were activated, and two passengers were rescued alive, the agency said. Videos circulating on social media showed heavy smoke rising from the airport’s tarmac, a scene corroborated by the institute on its accounts. The agency did not provide a presumed cause or details about the aircraft’s fate beyond the crash into the ground.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the jet had operated within Venezuela in the past month, with additional trips to Panama and Cuba during the same period.
Authorities have not released a probable cause, and an investigation into the incident is expected to determine what happened during takeoff from the Maiquetía facility. The National Institute of Civil Aeronautics emphasized that information would be provided as it becomes available.