Latest news with #EasternAirways
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Southend Airport partially reopens after plane crash killed four people
Southend Airport has partially reopened after being closed following a plane crash that killed four people. Flights to and from the airport in had been suspended since Sunday afternoon when moments after taking off. A statement from the airport on Wednesday read: "London Southend Airport is today partially reopening for a small number of flights, following Sunday's tragic air accident and subsequent closure. "Four easyJet flights will land at London Southend Airport this evening (Wednesday 16 July). Eastern Airways will also operate an empty positioning flight. "Normal airline operations resume from the morning of Thursday 17 July." The crash saw a medical flight, chartered for a patient to be brought to the UK for treatment, come down within the airport boundary shortly after take off. It is understood the patient had been dropped off and the 12-metre plane was bound for its base in the Netherlands. The four people who died were two male pilots, understood to be Dutch, a female nurse and a male doctor. Reports have named the nurse as Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, a 31-year-old German national originally from Chile, and as German national Dr Matthias Eyl, 46. "Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those who tragically lost their lives on Sunday," the Southend Airport statement continued. "Throughout the course of this week, we have continued to support the air accident investigation team as they carry out their work." Read more: Essex Police said it had recovered three bodies on Tuesday, and the fourth was expected to be recovered "within the next 24 hours". The force added that it is working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), which is involved in "victim recovery activities, examination of the wreckage and evidence gathering". One witness, who was at the airport with his wife and children, said he saw a "big fireball" exploding across the sky as the plane plunged "head first into the ground". The pilots had waved at his family moments earlier as they taxied the plane to the take-off position, John Johnson said.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
London Southend Airport to partially reopen three days after fatal plane crash
London Southend Airport will partially reopen for a 'small number of flights' three days after a small plane crashed, killing four people who were on board. The medical flight, chartered for a patient to be transported for treatment in the UK, crashed within the airport boundary shortly after take-off on Sunday. It is understood that the patient had been dropped off and the plane was bound for its base in the Netherlands when it crashed. The four people who died were two male pilots, understood to be Dutch, and a female nurse and a male doctor. The nurse was named in reports as 31-year-old Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, a German national originally from Chile, and the doctor was named as German national Dr Matthias Eyl, 46. The airport was closed while an investigation was carried out but it is to partially reopen on Wednesday and is due to resume normal operations from Thursday. A spokesperson for London Southend Airport said on Wednesday: 'London Southend Airport is today partially reopening for a small number of flights, following Sunday's tragic air accident and subsequent closure. 'Four easyJet flights will land at London Southend Airport this evening. ' Eastern Airways will also operate an empty positioning flight. 'Normal airline operations resume from the morning of Thursday, July 17. 'Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those who tragically lost their lives on Sunday.' The airport has 'continued to support the air accident investigation team as they carry out their work'. The statement continued: 'Our airport staff and wider team are doing all they can to help during this incredibly difficult time, and will of course be on hand to assist passengers as we return to service. 'The understanding and kindness shown by our local community has been incredible, and we are grateful for their support.' On Tuesday, Essex Police said three bodies had been recovered from the crash site and a fourth was expected to be recovered 'within the next 24 hours'. On Wednesday, the force said that the 'fourth and final person on board has now been moved from the crash site'. Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin thanked those involved in the 'complex investigative process'. He said: 'Our work is very much ongoing away from the site, and our investigation in parallel with the AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch) continues.' The four dead have yet to be officially identified, with experts using forensic methods like DNA, fingerprints, and tattoos, and families being kept informed. Police said the aircraft is being 'carefully dismantled to move into the next phase of the investigation, being carried out in parallel with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch'.
The Sun
14-07-2025
- The Sun
Southend Airport crash: What to do if your flight is cancelled and how to claim
SOUTHEND Airport remains closed after a small plane crashed in a fireball yesterday. A statement from the airport last night said: "All flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while police, emergency services and air accident investigators are attending the incident. "We ask that any passengers due to travel tomorrow (Monday) via London Southend Airport contact their airline for information and advice." The closure of Southend Airport could not have come at a worse time. With the start of the school holidays just a week away, schedules would have ramped up for both low-cost giant easyJet and domestic airline Eastern Airways. At easyJet there is the possibility of diverting flights to its other bases in the south east including Gatwick and Luton. Anyone impacted should immediately contact their airline and make sure they also have all your most up to date contact details. As the closure of the airport was in no way the fault of the airlines there is no compensation due. But airlines do have a duty of care to ensure you are looked after and crucially delivered to your final destination as soon as possible. You are also entitled to a refund but bear in mind if you take this option, your airline will then have no further responsibility. Those abroad who have been unable to return to the UK due to the airport closure should still be provided with food and drink during any delay and overnight accommodation if it is necessary. If your airline does not provide you with vouchers for refreshments or a hotel, you are able to claim any expenses back from the airline but only if the purchases are proportionate and make sure to keep all receipts. If you have travel insurance it is also worth checking to see if you can claim for any other expenses, such as accommodation or tours that you were unable to take.
BreakingNews.ie
14-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Southend Airport to remain closed after ‘fireball' crash
London Southend Airport will remain closed until further notice after a plane crashed in a 'fireball'. Essex Police said they were alerted shortly before 4pm on Sunday to 'reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane' at the airport, calling it a 'serious incident' although there has been no confirmation of the number of casualties. Advertisement Images posted on social media showed a plume of fire and black smoke coming up from the crash site, while witnesses described seeing a 'fireball'. Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in The Netherlands, confirmed its SUZ1 flight had been 'involved in an accident' at London Southend Airport. The statement said the company was 'actively supporting the authorities with the investigation', adding: 'Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.' Zeusch Aviation's website says the plane can be used for medical flights to transport patients or organs. Advertisement It has also been deployed for aerial mapping flights. The plane had flown from the Greek capital Athens to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend. It was scheduled to return to Lelystad on Sunday night. The airport announced on Sunday night it was closed until further notice, with all arriving and departing flights cancelled. Passengers booked to travel on Monday are advised to contact their airline. Advertisement There were scheduled to be 20 easyJet flights and two Eastern Airways flights departing from or arriving at the airport on Monday. Southend Airport said: 'Our thoughts are with those affected by today's events and all passengers impacted by this disruption. 'We will restart flight operations as soon as possible and will continue to update the public on developments.' EasyJet said the company's remaining flights to and from the airport had been 'diverted to alternative airports or are no longer able to operate', according to Sky. Advertisement John Johnson, who was at the airport with his children and wife on Sunday, said they saw a 'big fireball' after the plane crashed 'head first into the ground'. Mr Johnson, from Billericay, told the PA news agency: 'We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us. 'The aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its take-off, departure, powered up, rolled down the runway. 'It took off and about three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed just head first into the ground. Advertisement 'There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it.' He said he felt 'shaken up' and his thoughts were with the people on the plane and their loved ones. As a precaution, because of their proximity to the incident, police said they were evacuating the Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club but rugby club chairman Pete Jones said it had not been necessary. A bartender at the golf club, which is next door to the airport, said he felt a 'big heat wave' before looking up to a 'massive fireball' in the sky. James Philpott told the BBC: 'I was just basically in a hut like in the middle of the course and I didn't even see any plane go down or anything and I just felt like a big heat wave come through and I looked up and there was just a massive fireball basically 100 foot in the sky. 'It was more the heat really just kind of hit me as I was sitting there, just like, feel like I'm baking.' He continued: 'I think everyone was just quite shocked to be honest. I'm aware of the tragic incident at Southend Airport this afternoon. My thoughts are with all those involved. The emergency services are on scene and are advising the public to avoid the area where possible. I am monitoring the situation closely and receiving regular updates. — Heidi Alexander MP (@Heidi_Labour) July 13, 2025 'People were sort of running towards it to see if anyone was injured or anything.' In a post on X, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the incident as 'tragic', adding that her 'thoughts are with all those involved' and that she was 'monitoring the situation and closely receiving regular updates'. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir and Basildon, along with off road vehicles from Billericay and Chelmsford attended the incident. Four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, four hazardous area response team vehicles, three senior paramedic cars and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance were also sent to the scene, the East of England Ambulance Service said. Posting on X, David Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, said: 'I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. 'Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. 'My thoughts are with everyone involved.' Southend Airport said the incident involved a 'general aviation aircraft' and the airport was 'working closely with the local authorities'. Essex Police have set up a dedicated public portal where people can contact them about the crash at:
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Airline's Jane Boulton left red-faced as iconic no-nonsense easyJet star admits she's missed her own flight for the very first time
Airline's iconic no-nonsense former check-in manager Jane Boulton has been left red-faced as she admitted to fans she missed her own flight this week. Jane shot to fame in the early noughties as ITV cameras followed her and the rest of her easyJet colleagues as they dealt with day-to-day operations of the busy low-cost airline. Boulton, who was based in London Luton, was known for her sharp wit, and less than sympathetic approach to passengers who had missed their flights. However, it appears the former airline worker-turned social media star has been dealt her karma as she told fans she missed her own flight for the very first time. Taking to Instagram on Friday, she said: 'Came to for an interview with Lewis Nicholls yesterday and, guess what guys, for the first time in my life it was not easy because I did not get there on time. 'We got stuck in the most horrific traffic on the way to Gatwick, there was an accident and literally we came off the motorway to queue up for the Gatwick turn off and it took us probably an hour to get from there.' Jane added that her 40-minute usual journey took a whooping two hours as she raced to catch her flight. She continued: 'We missed the check-in by how long? One minute. And as nice as I was... but no, she wasn't having any of it. 'So we missed our little flight with Eastern Airways and had to book on a train, so we should have arrived here at 10 yesterday morning and we got here at about four, three o'clock.' 'So I know how people feel now, and I can honestly say a lot of people out there are probably thinking 'karma'.' The mum-of-three went on to reveal she's staying at the picturesque Cornwall Hotel and Spa while in the tourist hotspot. Fans flooded Jane with comments, with many repeating her iconic phrases from Airline back to here. One wrote: 'Well I'm sorry but a coffee shop does not look like departures (love you Jane).' A second posted: 'Jane, it's a plane not a bus, much love as always though.' 'It is easy if you get here on time as Jane Boulton once told a customer,' joked a third follower. While a fourth penned: 'A coffee shop is not departures!' Jane, Now a married mother-of-three living in South London, famously had to put up with some very angry passengers and previously revealed the truth about Airline. She no longer works in the airline industry and quit the business in 2014. She now runs her own company called Party Paradise UK. The show ended in 2006 and Jane said she still keeps in touch with co-stars Leo Jones and Katrina Leeder. Jane has now gone viral TikTok with clips of her comeback from the show still being sent around. The videos have been viewed more than 26 million times.
