London plane crash: What exactly happened at Southend Airport in Essex? All you need to know
Eyewitness John Johnson described the horrifying moment: 'It banked left, flipped upside down, and smashed headfirst into the ground. A huge fireball followed'. Emergency crews rushed to the Essex airport, closing it immediately and evacuating nearby golf and rugby clubs as a precaution.
The plane, operated by Dutch medical transport firm Zeusch Aviation, had carried out two earlier flights that day.
Dozens of first responders battled the blazing wreckage, including four fire crews, off-road vehicles, and four hazardous response teams. Medical support included four ambulances, paramedic cars, and an air ambulance, though no survivors were found.
Essex Police called it a "serious incident" and warned the public to avoid the area. Flightradar data showed the plane reached only 175 feet before crashing near the runway.
The airport closure cancelled all flights, including four easyJet routes, and diverted others to Gatwick and Stansted. Passengers boarding another plane saw the fireball just 300 meters away.
Families at the airport watched in horror as the pilots, who had waved back at children minutes earlier, plunged to their deaths. Golf club bartender James Philpott felt a "baking heat wave" before spotting the fireball: 'People ran toward it to help'.
Southend West MP David Burton-Sampson urged people to avoid the area, adding, 'My thoughts are with everyone involved'.
The 12-meter plane could carry 9 passengers plus crew, though the exact number onboard remains unconfirmed. This marks the second Beechcraft crash at Southend; another occurred in 1987.
Authorities will spend days examining the crash site to determine why the twin-engine turboprop failed. Experts will study eyewitness accounts and flight data showing the sudden left turn before impact.
The aircraft had flown from Croatia earlier Sunday and once served as a medical evacuation plane. EasyJet offered refunds and hotels to stranded passengers, while the airport's reopening timeline is unknown. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has taken charge of the probe.
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