3 killed and 1 injured when plane crashes in South Florida near a major highway

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Three people were killed and one was injured when a small plane crashed Friday morning in South Florida near a major interstate highway and pushed a car onto railroad tracks, officials said.

Boca Raton Fire Rescue assistant chief Michael LaSalle said the plane crash that killed all three people on board emitted a fireball when it hit the ground, injuring a person in a nearby car. LaSalle said several roads near the Boca Raton Airport will remain closed near Interstate 95.

The Federal Aviation Administration identified the plane as a Cessna 310 with three people on board. It went down about 10:20 a.m. after departing from Boca Raton Airport bound for Tallahassee, the FAA said in an email.

Fire officials told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the aircraft appeared to have pushed a car onto the railroad tracks, leading to the tracks' closure.

Josh Orsino, 31, said he was stopped at a red light at a nearby overpass when he heard a loud explosion and saw a huge fireball come toward him.

“We’re just sitting there, and I see the palm trees start catching on fire,” Orsino said. “I thought it was an oil rig or a car crash type thing.”

Orsino said everyone was honking and trying to get off the overpass, not sure if it was going to collapse.

“So I didn’t know if the fire was going to come towards the vehicles, I mean, my first instinct was like, I got to get off this bridge. I’m getting out of here,” Orsino said.

Miguel Coka, 51, who works near the Boca Raton airport, said he is used to seeing planes flying low as they prepare to land. But this time, he and his colleagues noticed something was off.

“There was a rumble and everyone in the building felt it,” he said when the plane crashed. “We are all shocked.”

He captured the smoke and flames from the crash from his office balcony on video.

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said the investigation was just beginning.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community. At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities," Singer said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.”

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, with the NTSB leading the probe.

NTSB officials arrived at the scene Friday afternoon and began collecting evidence and taking photos as part of their preliminary investigation. The plane wreckage will be taken to a salvage facility in Jacksonville for further investigation. The NTSB will release a preliminary report in 30 days, followed by a final report with the likely cause of the crash in 12 to 24 months.

The small plane crashed in South Florida a day after a New York City sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists.

Federal officials have tried to reassure travelers that flying is the safest mode of transportation, and statistics support that. But aircraft collisions and near-misses have been drawing more scrutiny.

A midair collision killed 67 people near Washington in January. An airliner clipped another in February while taxiing at the Seattle airport. In March, an American Airlines plane caught fire after landing in Denver, sending 12 people to the hospital.

Associated Press producer Beatrice Dupuy contributed to this report from New York.

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel remove the bodies of those killed when a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)

Emergency personnel respond to the area where a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)

Emergency crew inspect the site of a small plane crash Friday, April 11, 2025 in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency crew inspects the site of a small plane crash Friday, April 11, 2025 in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Emergency crew inspect the site of a small plane crash Friday, April 11, 2025 in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez hit a three-run homer and Kyle Manzardo went deep on the next pitch in the third inning, helping the Cleveland Guardians beat the American League-leading New York Yankees 6-4 on Monday night.

Ramírez and Manzardo both cleared the fence in right off Clarke Schmidt (0-1), who gave up five runs in four innings. Manzardo has homered in three straight games and has a team-high seven.

Cleveland led 6-0 before Jasson Domínguez hit a two-run homer in the seventh and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had been in a 1-for-18 slide, had a two-run drive in the eighth. The Yankees went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

New York, playing Cleveland for the first time since winning last year's AL Championship Series, lost for the second time in eight games.

Aaron Judge extended his on-base streak to 19 games, going 1 of 4 with a walk, but struck out against Cade Smith with a runner on second for the final out. The reigning AL MVP leads the majors with a .384 average, 33 hits and 25 RBIs.

Gavin Williams (2-1) allowed two runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings in his first win over an AL East squad in eight career starts and Smith worked the ninth for his second big league save, his first this season.

Schmidt, who made his season debut last Wednesday, held the Guardians hitless in the first two innings before allowing two homers, two doubles and three singles over the next two frames.

With 668 extra-base hits, all with Cleveland, Ramírez moved past Hall of Famer Tris Speaker for sole possession of second on the team career list behind Hall of Famer Earl Averill (724).

Yankees RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.17 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (1-2, 5.85 ERA) on Tuesday in the second game of the three-game series.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge warms up before a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, left, talks with New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, right, before a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams delivers against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt pauses after giving up a solo home run to Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan, right, slides home as he evades a tag by New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees' Jasson Dominguez, right, is greeted by Pablo Reyes (19) after his two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees' Jasson Dominguez celebrates after his two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan (38) and Brayan Rocchio, left rear, congratulate Jose Ramirez, right, after Ramirez's three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio watches his RBI single off New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt with catcher Austin Wells during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches his double off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, right, watches his three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt with catcher Austin Wells, center, and umpire Nick Mahrley, left, during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)