SpaceX Rocket Explodes, Raining Debris From Sky For Second Time In A Row- Debris Could Be Seen From Jamaica

A SpaceX rocket exploded shortly after it was launched from Texas on Thursday, grounding flights and triggering warnings about falling spaceship debris.

SpaceX, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, confirmed the un-crewed ship had suffered "a rapid unscheduled dis-assembly" during its ascent into space, and lost contact with the ground.

The massive SpaceX Starship, the largest rocket ever created, spun out of control shortly after its launch. No injuries or damage have been reported but images from those in Caribbean Sea island nations, including in Jamaica, showed fiery debris raining from the sky.

Spectators in Jamaica reported seeing the debris around 6:30pm, with many capturing the scene on video.

This was the eighth mission to test the rocket, and its second consecutive failure.

The 123m (403ft) spaceship was meant to re-enter Earth's orbit over the Indian Ocean after a one-hour flight.

Its Super Heavy booster, which helps it leave the ground, did manage successfully to return to the launchpad.

SpaceX, said teams immediately started co-ordinating with safety officials for "pre-planned contingency responses".

The statement added that SpaceX would review data "to better understand [the] root cause" of the misfire and noted the explosion happened after the loss of "several" engines.

The statement says debris should have fallen within a pre-planned area and the rocket did not contain any toxic materials. The company also included an email and phone number for those who believe they've found any remnants of the craft.

Musk has yet to comment on Thursday's explosion.