A small plane crashed shortly after takeoff from London Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon. The aircraft caught fire, creating a huge fireball and thick black smoke that rose above the airport. Emergency services responded quickly to the scene.
The aircraft was a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air. This 12-meter (39 feet) turboprop plane is often used for medical evacuations and patient transport. It was configured as a luxury private plane with eight seats. It belonged to the Dutch operator Zeusch Aviation, specializing in medical flights.
The plane was flying from London Southend Airport to Lelystad, Netherlands, when the crash happened. The accident occurred just a few seconds after takeoff. Witnesses said the plane tilted sharply to the left, nearly flipped over, and then crashed nose-first into the ground, causing the fireball.
Four foreign nationals aboard the plane were killed in the crash, police confirmed. The victims included Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, a 31-year-old German nurse born in Chile. All four people on board died at the scene.
Essex Police and other emergency services arrived soon after the crash. They worked alongside the East of England Ambulance Service and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. The police described the incident as “serious” and said the emergency response would continue for several hours. They asked the public to avoid the area near the airport.
As a safety measure, local police evacuated the area near the Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club, which are close to the crash site. This was done to protect people in those areas while emergency work continued.
London officials expressed condolences and support for those affected. David Burton Sampson, the Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on social media that his thoughts were with everyone involved and urged people to keep clear for emergency services to do their work. Matt Dent, Southend City Council’s cabinet member, also expressed sympathy for the victims and praised the emergency responders.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. Authorities are examining the wreckage and reviewing flight data. No further details about the exact cause have been released yet.
This tragic accident has deeply affected the Southend community and aviation authorities. The airport remained closed while the site was secured, and emergency crews continue their work to understand what led to this fatal crash.
This accident is a tragic loss of life and has shocked the aviation community. Authorities continue to investigate the cause and have not yet released details on what led to the plane’s sudden loss of control after takeoff. The airport and emergency services remain on high alert as they manage the aftermath.
