A private jet carrying eight people has crashed just moments after taking off from a busy airport. The incident happened on Sunday night at Maine’s Bangor International Airport, the US Federal Aviation Administration said.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 crashed around 7.45pm local time, and there was no immediate word on the conditions of those aboard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. FAA officials confirmed eight occupants were on board. Chilling audio obtained by CNN reveals pilots and air traffic controllers expressing concern over poor visibility moments before the plane took off.

A controller clears the pilot for takeoff on Bangor’s Runway 33. Almost two minutes later, a controller loudly says: “All traffic is stopped on the field! All traffic is stopped on the field!”

Moments later, another controller is heard radioing: “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.” Later in the audio, a controller states they are aware of “three crew and possibly five passengers” on board.

Airport officials say the airport is currently closed and are asking the public to avoid the area. Emergency crews will continue responding to the incident into this morning.

An Emergency Operations Center has been activated, according to Bangor International Airport officials, with an update expected later today.

In a post on social media, Bangor International Airport said: “An incident at the airport is under investigation.

“First responders are on the scene assessing the situation. Please avoid the airport.”

Passengers are encouraged to contact their airlines for information regarding impacts to their travel plans.

The crash happened as a powerful winter storm swept across New England and much of the US, severely disrupting travel and daily life. Throughout the weekend, the system brought heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain to large parts of the eastern half of the country, grounding air and road traffic and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the Southeast.

Commercial air travel was also significantly affected. According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, nearly 12,000 flights were canceled and close to 20,000 were delayed. Airports in Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey were among those impacted.