Manchester: A small plane has crashed shortly after taking off from Southend airport, reports have stated.
Emergency responders rushed to London Southend Airport on Sunday following a small aircraft crash. Authorities have not yet released information about the aircraft’s destination or the number of onboard passengers.
The airport’s official social media channels confirmed a "serious incident" involving a general aviation aircraft. In response, all flights to and from Southend Airport have been suspended until further notice as police, emergency services, and investigators examine the scene.
Reports suggest the aircraft was a medical transport jet, specifically a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, believed to be en route to Netherlands. Witnesses shared images on social media depicting a large plume of fire and dark smoke rising from the crash site.
The aircraft is approximately 12 meters (39 feet) in length. Further details about the incident are awaited as investigations continue.
A witness who was at the airport with his family, said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane “crashed head first into the ground.”
“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,” he said. “There was a big fireball.”
