With 8 people on board…a private plane crashes and catches fire in the US state of Maine

The US Federal Aviation Administration said that a private plane crashed and caught fire upon takeoff from an airport in Maine, with eight people on board, but their fate or identities are not yet known.

The administration added in a statement that the crash of the Bombardier Challenger 600 twin-engine plane occurred yesterday at Bangor International Airport at approximately 7:45 pm (0045 GMT today).

No official details were available, but a government official familiar with the matter told Reuters that a large fire broke out following the crash.

The government official said that the plane had arrived in Maine after a flight from Texas.

Federal Aviation Administration records show that the plane entered service in April 2020.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would conduct an investigation into the accident in cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board.