{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreiaapinsli3gbiv7kdoy73g6tttw3trymev27kikbjsvb2a2545bqu",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:oznbnvgr7dmvddiyvr7dih52/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnrqcoejvji2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreiejum7hmrnbtwte2vizntz7ymw2didme6socemsjr7liaxnvfasrq"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/png",
    "size": 387773
  },
  "path": "/news/world/dominican-republic-plane-crash-two-dead-private-jet-dominican-republic",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-08T11:52:59.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "At least three dead after massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Philippines",
    "Iran fires missiles at Israel for first time in months as US ceasefire hangs by a thread",
    "At least 10 dead after migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean as search operation launched",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nTwo 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nFootage 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.\n\nEmergency crews rushed to the scene as an enormous cloud of black smoke plumed from the wreckage.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAs firefighters assessed the scene, operations at the airport were halted.\n\nLocal media have reported the two pilots on-board died in the incident.\n\nThe 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.\n\n\"No passengers were reported.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDominican newspaper El Dia have named the pilots as American nationals Erick Javier Diago and Rudy Ghazal.\n\nLocal 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.\n\nThe aircraft has been identified as a GALX with a US registration number, N318JF.\n\nIt was a Gulfstream G200, a medium-to-long-range executive jet manufactured in 2004 by Israel Aircraft Industries.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * At least three dead after massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Philippines\n  * Iran fires missiles at Israel for first time in months as US ceasefire hangs by a thread\n  * At least 10 dead after migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean as search operation launched\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAviation records, seen by the Mirror, show the jet belonged to Aibonito Aviation LLC, a private aviation company based in San Juan, Puerto Rico.\n\nThe authorities have confirmed an investigation is underway to understand what went wrong with the aircraft.\n\nThis tragic incident comes after four people were killed in a small plane crash in Croatia last week.\n\nOn 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.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Beechcraft Bonanza G36 plummeted from approximately 980 feet before crashing into a field near the Kaštijun landfill.\n\nEmergency services rushed to the scene but found the aircraft had been crushed beyond recognition, with little left but a pile of metal.\n\nTatjana Čemerikić, director of the Istrian County Emergency Medicine Institute, said the condition of those on board made resuscitation impossible.\n\nThe plane's owner and his three passengers, all Austrian nationals, were killed.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA local TV reporter said: \"I spoke with eyewitnesses who observed the plane landing.\n\n\"The aircraft initially flew level and then suddenly went into a spiral dive before crashing into the ground.\n\n\"There was no explosion, just a dull thud.\"\n\nThe cause of the crash remains unclear as an investigation continues.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Two dead after private jet erupts into massive fireb\n​\n\na\n​\n\nll skidding across runway"
}