At least four killed in small plane crash at London Southend airport
Essex Police said work continued to formally identify the victims of Sunday's (July 13, 2025) crash. 'At this stage, we believe all four are foreign nationals,' Police Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin told reporters.
Britain's national news agency, PA, reported that a document listing passengers indicated that two Dutch pilots and a Chilean nurse were among those aboard.
The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air operated by Dutch firm Zeusch Aviation had flown from Athens, Greece, to Pula in Croatia before heading to Southend. It was due to return to its home base of Lelystad in the Netherlands on Sunday (July 13, 2025) evening.
The 12-metre (39-foot) turboprop plane came down moments after takeoff and burst into flames.
'At this stage, it is too early to speculate on what may have caused this tragic accident,' said Lisa Fitzsimons of Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which said it sent a 'multi-disciplinary team including inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, human factors, engineering and recorded data' to the airport.
London Southend is a relatively small airport, around 45 miles (72 kilometres) east of the British capital, used for short-haul flights. The airport remained closed on Monday (July 14, 2025) with no word on when it would reopen.
Zeusch Aviation operates medical evacuation and transplant flights as well as aerial mapping and private charters, according to its website. The company said that 'our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the victims, their families, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.'
The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, first built in the 1970s, is an aviation workhorse used in a wide variety of roles around the world.
In 2017, a plane of the same model crashed into the roof of a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia, moments after takeoff, killing the pilot and four American tourists.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
10 hours ago
- First Post
Is Donald Trump visiting Pakistan? The fiasco explained
Two leading Pakistani TV channels reported on Thursday that Donald Trump is expected to visit Pakistan in September. They also claimed that after landing in Islamabad, the US president will head to India. Both channels have taken down the reports. But why? read more Ties between the US and Pakistan have improved under Donald Trump. File Photo/Reuters As Washington and Islamabad grow closer under Donald Trump, reports claimed that the US President is set to visit Pakistan in September. The development was reported by local television news channels in Pakistan on Thursday (July 17), citing sources. The media reports also claimed that after landing in Pakistan, Trump will visit India. The channels later withdrew their reports. But why? What happened? We will explain. Is Trump visiting Pakistan? Pakistani leading broadcaster Geo News, citing unnamed ministry officials, reported that US President Trump is expected to arrive in the South Asian nation on September 18. ARY news channel also reported on Trump's trip to Pakistan in September. The TV channels also claimed that after he visits Islamabad, the US president will continue on to India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, both channels later withdrew their reports. 'Geo News apologises to its viewers for airing the news without a verification,' it said. Speaking to Reuters, a senior management official at ARY said they took down the report as Pakistan's foreign office said it was not aware of the visit. After several media outlets reported, citing these Pakistani news channels, on Trump's visit, the White House cleared the air. It said no such visit was scheduled 'at this time'. 'A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time,' a White House official was quoted as saying by Reuters. A US embassy spokesperson in Islamabad told the news agency, 'We have nothing to announce.' Speaking to Pakistani daily Dawn on the reports, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said: 'We have no information about this matter.' Pakistan Foreign Ministry sources called the reports about Trump's trip 'fake' as the US president is visiting the United Kingdom between September 17 and 19. 'We have no information about any such visit. If there is any such thing, the Foreign Ministry will officially announce that,' a senior ministry official told Anadolu on the condition of anonymity. How the US and Pakistan are getting closer Since Trump returned to office, the US and Pakistan's relations have seen a major boost. Last month, the American president hosted the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House for lunch. Trump said he was 'honoured' to meet Munir and the two discussed Iran, which the US president said Pakistan knew better than most. A man sits beside a poster featuring Pakistani Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, along a road in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, on May 14, 2025. File Photo/AFP Speaking to reporters, the US president said he had thanked the Pakistan Army chief for ending the war with India, for which he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has repeatedly taken credit for brokering the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after four days of conflict in May. On May 7, India launched 'precise' military strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. This triggered an exchange of heavy fire between the two neighbours for four straight days. New Delhi has maintained that a ceasefire was reached between the militaries of the two nations. However, Trump continues to claim that he 'stopped' the war between India and Pakistan. Islamabad has reiterated the US president's claim and thanked him for his efforts. To woo Trump, Pakistan has also recommended Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his 'decisive diplomatic intervention' and 'pivotal leadership' in May, when India and Pakistan traded strikes. The US president's obsession with the prestigious award is well-known. He has been coveting the honour since his first term at the White House. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During Munir's visit to the US, the two sides discussed expanding bilateral trade, 'economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies,' Dawn reported, citing the Pakistani military's media wing. Cash-strapped Pakistan has hired Keith Schiller, a former bodyguard of Trump, as its lobbyist in Washington, DC. Islamabad signed two contracts with Trump-linked lobbyists worth $450,000 a month, reported The Guardian. Pakistan is rich in rare earth minerals, which are considered critical to US security. However, global supply chains for these minerals are dominated by China. After Ukraine, Trump is now eyeing Pakistan's rare earth minerals. This could explain the recent uplift in ties between the US and Pakistan, driven more by business than strategic interests. Will Trump visit Pakistan in future? The possibility of Trump visiting Pakistan cannot be ruled out. If it happens, he would be the first US president to travel to the South Asian country since George W Bush in 2006. Trump is set to visit India for the Quad summit, the dates for which are yet to be finalised. According to a Times of India (TOI) report, Pakistani business leaders and influencers are trying hard to press the White House for the US president's stopover in Islamabad during the India trip. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Quad, an informal strategic forum, also includes Japan and Australia. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
41st anniversary of The Times of India, Bengaluru: City in a fast-changing metropolis
Cities offer us a swirl of memories and experiences. Even if we miss some comforts of living. That's why every time our plane touches down, our train rumbles in or our bus negotiates the chock-a-block near the outskirts to enter our city, we sit up with anticipation, check our phones once more, and gaze expectantly as if to say there's nothing like home. We ache for our homes and familiar surroundings to recharge our batteries. The truth is we carry Bengaluru with us wherever we go. And mutter to ourselves about how cool our city is in comparison and how it has what other cities have plus something more. It has many things – old and new, bright and beautiful as well as subtle monochromes. A Ferriswheel view now would indicate the frequently mentioned aspects of weather, gardens and tech activity. Thirty to fifty years ago, the highlights would have included a haven for retirees, parks, lakes, public sector enterprises, and science research institutions. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Further back, the serene lifestyle in British bungalows and the culturally rich petes under the Mysore rule. And even earlier, of course, the textile mills and horse carriages of the early 20th century. That marks over hundred years of the transformation cycle. From where does this open city derive the energy to move forward? It has always had a remarkable alchemy of middle- and upper-class aspirations, fueled by top-notch research institutes and a cosmopolitan environment. Today, over 25 years after the early generations made their bow into the IT realm, these features are more pronounced. With thousands of startups, the city continues to be a magnet for talent. For over three decades now, it continues to retain its crown as tech capital, with a workforce exceeding one million. What stands out through all this is the spirit of adaptation and the openness to modernity. Bengaluru has always served as a fusion station for yesterday, today and tomorrow. You could argue that this is so with most cities, but the 'tomorrow' is very much on the horizon here. A CEO of hyphenated identities or a young entrepreneur largely see their stay as a stopover to bigger destinations. Take the last big marker of change – caused by liberalisation of the economy – in the blooming of tech companies. Around that time, in 1997, historian Sunil Khilnani observed that in contrast to the 'garbled modernity' of some other cities, 'a quite different trend is represented by the aspiring esperanto of Bangalore'. It has collected more epithets along the way, the latest is 'Startup City'. Dynamic cities are hardwired for change and Bengaluru is one such, resembling a vast, ever-evolving circuit board where new connections are made and data continuously flows and reroutes. You truly can't avoid using the tech metaphor for a city that has spawned megabytes of memes and witty lines. An apocryphal anecdote about the homogeneity of metropolitan cities is about a young resident guiding a tourist: 'Go straight ahead, turn right at the global fried chicken outlet; to your left you can see the American brand coffee house and reserve roaster, k e e p walking ahead till you get to a tea boutique…' Talk of new landmarks or think of how coffee goes with coding. The road to Electronic City indeed might be leading you to the city of tomorrow but in no way does it mean that the idyll of the past hasn't been disturbed. Oldtimers say that like many other towns and cities, Bengaluru was once a simple place; it attained complexity each time it assumed a new layer of modernity. The familiar refrain is 'Where's the city which was so charming?' or 'This is nothing like the old days'. As a friend puts it, 'Bangalore is so different; ing a tourist: Go ahead, turn he global ken outur left see rid e o u… ' new ks or how cofith coding. ad to Electronic as you grow more attached to it you want to live further away from the centre, away from the noise and congestion.' Everybody searches for her peace and solitude. After all, how can you enjoy Rumi in a fish market? Our seniors said this too and their seniors of the past decades were as vocal in their complaints. We pine to walk around lakes, but much of our quietness now lies in the heights of skyscrapers, in the few green gardens, in shrines and in libraries. Yet, masons, carpenters and welders are working on building plusher offices, housing estates and gated communities. Every house needs a sign: 'No parking in front of this gate'. In the growling traffic on Queen's road, a child in a car is reciting nursery rhymes, her mom checking every syllable. There are other ways of looking at the world, we say. We go with what our city offers u s while trying t o break free from the humdrum routine. Another way of tracing urban identity would be to examine what aspects or features are distinct. To draw from Teju Cole, Nigerian-American novelist and photographer whose work frequently looks at urban space and life, the 'subtleties, the smaller things' make one city different from another. The downtown may seem like a general picture of people and life, but also quite deceptive thanks to a certain standardization of design and lifestyle. Nothing's very different from another metro: Young girls in baggy jeans munch tacos or chocolate-dipped churros; dudes in but- reciting nursery rh mom checking lable. Ther ways of the w say wi ou f r w i n iden be to what a features ar To draw from ton-down shirts with bold prints hang out at brewpubs and older foodies try out culinary novelties at gourmet restaurants. Only Bengaluru has more of that. But there are little cities within the city, the nooks and corners that carry a stamp of local culture. Patisseries coexist with traditional Iyengar bakeries; pav bhaji and gobi manchurian stalls aren't far away from pizzerias and the aroma of roasted coffee beans wafts from age-old shops located in the vicinity of new-age bistros. The localities had their own traditions in the last century, some known for Kannada culture, some others for bustling bazaars, a few for cottage industries and the Cantonment for its clubs, bungalows and churches. There are lanes, in Basavanagudi, for instance, where rangoli-sellers, milkmen and the suprabhatam playing somewhere can wake you up along with an ambulance siren. None can feel a city's pulse better than a flaneur, the key character in urban life who stands detached from regular activity himself but is a keen observer of how it's all changing. He has seen people -- the hawkers, hangers-on, cobblers on the sidewalk, office-goers running to catch a bus or shopkeepers lighting an agarbatti after they raise the shutters. He has seen processions, protests, celebrations and stampedes. He has seen trees cut and playgrounds disappear. And he has seen machines dig tunnels for the subterranean metro. He has walked past colonnades and domes of old British buildings, curled through the lanes of Chickpet listening to the 'thwack and clack' of the last weaving looms and the patterns of cowdung pats on walls of a rare tiled home. The best days of his wanderings came in the 1970s and 1980s in Majestic when there was a floating stream of humans, many emerging from offices in the vicinity or the trading hubs of Avenue Road, Balepet and Chickpet, but predominantly from the matinee dreams of the 20-odd cinema houses. There are many more streets now where hawkers have taken over the pavements, spreading their wares all over, sometimes sending pedestrians hopping over a heap of woolens or toys. Streets that embody the vibrancy of neighborhoods and emphasize the contribution of small businesses and shopkeepers in creating dynamic spaces, as Jane Jacobs, the American-born Canadian urbanologist, would appreciate. And, as she added, it becomes evident that many of our ideas and conventions about redevelopment are 'visibly wrong'. The flaneur understands this, because he has seen the best battles of transience versus timelessness. People, after all, give places a different sense. They may break the stereotypes or prompt newer ones. For the Bengalurean who keeps discovering the various aspects of his city's captivating allure, age-old traditions blend seamlessly with modern innovations and culture. So, if we had the ability to travel through time, which period of the city would we choose to experience? Opinions would vary. If you have any doubts, ask the next-door techie. He might say, 'Go ask Grok!' The writer is a former Associate Resident Editor of The Times of India, Bengaluru. He has written on various social and cultural topics and co-edited an anthology on Bengaluru.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
Visa crisis: US universities could see 70% drop in Indian students this fall; here's why
Representative Image HYDERABAD: With less than two weeks to go for the fall semester to begin, American universities could well see a 70% drop in Indian students this year, thanks to the ongoing freeze in visa appointment slots and a sudden spike in visa rejection rates. "By this time usually, most students are done with their visa interviews and are preparing to fly. This year, we're still refreshing the portal every day hoping for a slot to open. It's the worst in years," said Sanjeev Rai from Hyderabad Overseas Consultant. Lack of clarity adds to stress You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad While US authorities earlier assured that more visa slots would be released in phases, the lack of clarity is leaving students on the edge. Ankit Jain from Window Overseas Education Consultancy said: "Even when a few slots opened midweek, those who managed to book haven't received confirmation." He added tat it was possible the US authorities were testing the system. "There's no logical reason to open a handful of slots without confirming bookings," he said. Meanwhile, application withdrawals are simultaneously continuing. Students are increasingly exploring other options. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo "I really could not wait. I might just lose out on a year. It looks like a dead end at this point, hence I decided to withdraw my application," said a 23-year-old from the city, who is now exploring Germany for a master's in automotive engineering. "If slots aren't released in the next few days, thousands of dreams will be shattered. We are seeing about an 80% drop. We're getting panic calls every day from students and their parents," said Arvind Manduva from I20 Fever consultancy. Adding to the anxiety, students who applied as early as March and secured interview appointments are now reporting an unusually high rejection rate. "Many students who usually would have had smooth approvals are being turned away. Their social media was also clean. The only reason that everyone seems to be receiving is 214B," Jain added. Rejections spike under 214B 214B typically means the applicant didn't demonstrate sufficient ties to the home country to prove he or she would return after the temporary visit. India has been one of the largest senders of international students to the US, with over 3.3 lakh students flying out last year - the highest for the first time, surpassing China. "Many students who have been preparing for months are seeing their dream crash. However, what the US authorities are doing is not new. The rules, vetting, and scrutiny were in place for years; it is just effectively implemented now. This will filter out applicants," said Ravi Lothumalla from US Admission, an immigration consulting firm in Dallas, Texas. However, the US Consulate General in Hyderabad has shared that slots have resumed and has advised to check the embassy or consulate website for appointment availability. "We're working to fully vet visa applicants to ensure they do not intend to harm America or our interests, and that they credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms of their admission. We encourage applicants to apply as early as they can and to anticipate additional processing time for these visa categories," said a spokesperson from the US Consulate General Hyderabad.
