All four foreign nationals aboard a small medical transport aircraft which crashed shortly after takeoff at London Southend Airport (SEN) have died, according to Essex Police.
Tragedy at Southend Airport
The aircraft, reported to be a Beech B200 Super King Air with twin propellers, had just dropped off a patient when it was preparing to take off from London Southend Airport in Essex. The flight, operated by Zeusch Aviation, a privately owned company operating 14 aircraft, was destined for Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands. However, the medical transport aircraft crashed at approximately 15:48 BST Sunday afternoon (13 July). Among those on board were two Dutch pilots and a Chilean nurse.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown, and London Southend Airport has been closed until further notice while authorities and the airport work together to determine how the tragic event unfolded. John Johnson, a local eyewitness who was with his family at the airport, gave his account of the crash:
“We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us. The aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its take-off, powered up [and] rolled down the runway. It took off and about three or four seconds [later] 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 headfirst into the ground. There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock [after] witnessing it.”
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Kier Starmer, said it was “terrible news that four people tragically lost their lives” and thanked the emergency services attending the scene in a post on Facebook.
Lisa Fitzsimons a Senior Inspector of the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), which investigates aviation incidents in the United Kingdom, said that they have launched a safety investigation which will establish the circumstances and causes of the tragic accident.
Lisa further said:
“Now that the emergency services have secured the site, we will be able to begin gathering the evidence we need to understand the circumstances that led to this accident. The aircraft involved in the accident was a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air. As part of our investigation, we are liaising with other state investigation authorities. The remains of the aircraft will then be recovered to our facility in Farnborough, Hampshire, for further detailed investigation. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of everyone involved. We would also like to express our thanks to the emergency services, and the airport for their assistance.”
Ongoing Disruption at SEN
The Civil Aviation Authority has put a significant air exclusion zone in place around the crash site. The airport has been closed until further notice since Sunday evening.
A statement on the airport’s website by Jude Winstanley, CEO at London Southend Airport, urges customers to contact their airline should they be booked on a flight to or from the airport:
“On behalf of everyone at London Southend Airport, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those lost in yesterday’s tragic incident. We would also like to thank our local community for their messages of support and understanding at this difficult time. Our staff are working closely with the emergency services and air accident investigators to support their work – I would like to thank them all for their hard work during this period. We are in constant dialogue with our operating airlines and, as I’m sure everyone will understand, the airport will remain closed until further notice – passengers should contact their airline for information and advice.”
EasyJet, one of two airlines which flies from London Southend Airport, has said that its flights to and from the airport “have been diverted to alternative airports or are no longer able to operate.” Many of its flights on Sunday were diverted to London Gatwick and London Luton Airport.
Essex Police have urged anyone with information on the incident or footage of the Beech B200 Super King Air crash to come forward.
How has the crash impacted you? Share your experiences in the comments.
