Small plane crash in Florida kills three

A small plane crashed close to the airport in Boca Raton, Florida, killing three passengers, the latest in a string of incidents that have raised concerns over US aviation safety.

The Boca Raton police confirmed the deaths in a social media post that said one person on the ground was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  

Several roads are closed in the area as emergency crews respond. Local media identified the plane as a Cessna 310R, a small propeller plane, while images posted to X showed plumes of smoke billowing across a highway. 

The incident comes a day after a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City, killing all six people on board. 

The accidents are shaking confidence in the safety of the US aviation system since a deadly midair collision between a US military helicopter and regional passenger jet near Reagan airport in January.