A small passenger airplane burst into flames simply seconds after taking off from London Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon. The Beech B200 Tremendous King Air plane, heading to Lelystad within the Netherlands, crashed at 4 p.m. whereas climbing, creating an enormous fireball seen for miles.
Eyewitness John Johnson described the horrifying second: “It banked left, flipped the wrong way up, and smashed headfirst into the bottom. An enormous fireball adopted”. Emergency crews rushed to the Essex airport, closing it instantly and evacuating close by golf and rugby golf equipment as a precaution.
The airplane, operated by Dutch medical transport agency Zeusch Aviation, had carried out two earlier flights that day.
Huge emergency response unfolds
Dozens of first responders battled the blazing wreckage, together with 4 fireplace crews, off-road automobiles, and 4 hazardous response groups. Medical help included 4 ambulances, paramedic automobiles, and an air ambulance, although no survivors have been discovered.
Essex Police known as it a “severe incident” and warned the general public to keep away from the realm. Flightradar knowledge confirmed the airplane reached solely 175 toes earlier than crashing close to the runway.
The airport closure cancelled all flights, together with 4 easyJet routes, and diverted others to Gatwick and Stansted. Passengers boarding one other airplane noticed the fireball simply 300 meters away.
Shocked witnesses and group grief
Households on the airport watched in horror because the pilots, who had waved again at kids minutes earlier, plunged to their deaths. Golf membership bartender James Philpott felt a “baking warmth wave” earlier than recognizing the fireball: “Individuals ran towards it to assist”.
Southend West MP David Burton-Sampson urged folks to keep away from the realm, including, “My ideas are with everybody concerned”.
The 12-meter airplane might carry 9 passengers plus crew, although the precise quantity onboard stays unconfirmed. This marks the second Beechcraft crash at Southend; one other occurred in 1987.
Investigation begins as airport stays closed
Authorities will spend days analyzing the crash website to find out why the twin-engine turboprop failed. Specialists will examine eyewitness accounts and flight knowledge exhibiting the sudden left flip earlier than affect.
The plane had flown from Croatia earlier Sunday and as soon as served as a medical evacuation airplane. EasyJet supplied refunds and lodges to stranded passengers, whereas the airport’s reopening timeline is unknown. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Department has taken cost of the probe.
