Two dead after private jet erupts into massive fireb ​ a ​ ll skidding across runway

Two people have died in a plane crash after a private jet erupted into a massive fireball while skidding across a runway in the Dominican Republic. The aircraft was attempting an emergency landing after experiencing a serious mechanical issue mid-flight, but as it attempted to reach safe ground, it skidded and burst into a flames. Footage from the incident shows the Gulfstream jet, which was landing in the Dominican Republic's La Romana airport, skidding along the runway with its nose tilted upwards before bouncing along the tarmac and eventually bursting into flames. Emergency crews rushed to the scene as an enormous cloud of black smoke plumed from the wreckage. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say As firefighters assessed the scene, operations at the airport were halted. Local media have reported the two pilots on-board died in the incident. The Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC) stated in a press release: The US-registered aircraft, registered to an executive aviation company, had its two crew members on board: the pilot and co-pilot.No passengers were reported.Dominican newspaper El Dia have named the pilots as American nationals Erick Javier Diago and Rudy Ghazal.Local media have said the jet was bound for Austin, Texas, before declaring an emergency at roughly 16 nautical miles south west of La Romana, to which the pilots turned the aircraft around. The aircraft has been identified as a GALX with a US registration number, N318JF. It was a Gulfstream G200, a medium-to-long-range executive jet manufactured in 2004 by Israel Aircraft Industries.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSAt least three dead after massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake strikes PhilippinesIran fires missiles at Israel for first time in months as US ceasefire hangs by a threadAt least 10 dead after migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean as search operation launchedAviation records, seen by the Mirror, show the jet belonged to Aibonito Aviation LLC, a private aviation company based in San Juan, Puerto Rico.The authorities have confirmed an investigation is underway to understand what went wrong with the aircraft. This tragic incident comes after four people were killed in a small plane crash in Croatia last week. On June 4 at roughly 11.20am, a plane entered a fatal spiral and crashed near the Croatian city of Pula, coming down just over a mile from Medulin airport. The Beechcraft Bonanza G36 plummeted from approximately 980 feet before crashing into a field near the Kaštijun landfill.Emergency services rushed to the scene but found the aircraft had been crushed beyond recognition, with little left but a pile of metal.Tatjana Čemerikić, director of the Istrian County Emergency Medicine Institute, said the condition of those on board made resuscitation impossible.The plane's owner and his three passengers, all Austrian nationals, were killed.A local TV reporter said: I spoke with eyewitnesses who observed the plane landing. The aircraft initially flew level and then suddenly went into a spiral dive before crashing into the ground. There was no explosion, just a dull thud.The cause of the crash remains unclear as an investigation continues. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter