Plane Crash Caught on Camera in Dominican Republic: 2 Dead After Business Jet Crashes at La Romana Airport After Declaring Emergency; Video Surfaces
Two crew members died on Sunday, June 7. when a private Gulfstream G200 jet crashed on the runway at La Romana International Airport in the Dominican Republic. The aircraft had declared an emergency 16 nautical miles away while turning back. Emergency teams contained the resulting fire, and authorities confirmed no passengers were on board.
Two crew members died on Sunday, June 7, after a private business jet crashed on the runway at La Romana International Airport in the eastern region of the Dominican Republic. The national aviation authority confirmed that the aircraft was attempting an emergency return to the airfield when the incident occurred. Emergency response teams mobilised immediately to contain a post-crash fire, and authorities reported that no passengers were on board the flight.
Emergency Declaration and Runway Impact
The aircraft, identified as a US-registered Gulfstream G200 twin-engine business jet, had initially departed from La Romana and was bound for Austin, Texas. Shortly into the flight, the flight crew encountered mechanical difficulties and elected to turn back toward the departure airport. Heavy Rains Cause Flooding and Power Outages in the Dominican Republic.
Private Jet Crashes at La Romana International Airport
BREAKING: A private jet crashed while attempting an emergency landing at La Romana International Airport in the Dominican Republic. pic.twitter.com/tjoRCZT1ef
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 7, 2026
According to a formal statement released by the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC), the flight crew alerted air traffic control to an airborne crisis shortly before the crash. "The aircraft declared an emergency while approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of La Romana" and crashed as it was returning to the airport, the statement added.
Video footage captured by witnesses and shared across social media networks showed the business jet sliding across the airfield, kicking up debris before erupting into flames. Thick plumes of black smoke billowed over the runway as airport crash-tenders and local fire trucks sprayed water to control the intense blaze.
Casualties and Investigation Status
Aviation officials confirmed that the impact and subsequent fire resulted in two fatalities, accounting for everyone on board the business jet. The Dominican Civil Aviation Institute said that the pilot and co-pilot died. "No passengers were reported" on board, its statement said. The names and nationalities of the flight crew have not yet been officially released pending notification of their families. Following the incident, the national aviation authority announced that a specialised safety team has opened an official investigation to analyse flight data records and determine the exact technical or structural cause of the crash.
Regional Context and Past Safety Incidents
La Romana International Airport is a key transit gateway serving the tourist-centric city of La Romana and its surrounding luxury coastal resorts. Tourism remains a primary economic driver for the Dominican Republic, a Caribbean nation of approximately 11.6 million people. Sunday's runway accident mirrors a similar tragedy in recent years involving private aviation infrastructure in the country. In 2021, nine people died in a private plane crash after departing from Las Americas International Airport in the capital city of Santo Domingo. That previous incident involved a different aircraft type that also crashed while attempting an emergency landing following technical malfunctions.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2026 07:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
