A small business jet crashed during take-off at London Southend Airport around 4:00 PM (local time) on Sunday, sending a towering plume of black smoke into the sky and sparking panic among eyewitnesses who described seeing a 'huge fireball' erupt at the scene.
According to reports, the aircraft involved has been identified as a Beech B200 Super King Air, which was scheduled to depart for Lelystad in the Netherlands. According to flight data from Flightradar, the jet crashed shortly after lifting off the runway. It is currently unclear how many individuals were on board at the time of the incident.
Eyewitnesses near the airport reported a massive explosion, followed by intense flames and smoke. Visuals circulating on social media show thick black smoke billowing into the sky as emergency services rushed to the scene.
In a statement reported by Sky News, Essex Police said: "We were alerted shortly before 4 PM to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane… We are working with all emergency services at the scene now, and that work will be ongoing for several hours." Authorities have urged members of the public to avoid the area while rescue and investigative operations are underway.
Local MP David Burton-Sampson, who represents Southend West and Leigh, took to social media to express concern over the incident. “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,” he posted.
As of now, there is no official confirmation regarding casualties or the cause of the crash. Investigations are ongoing, and further updates are expected from the Civil Aviation Authority and emergency services.
“We are currently working closely with all emergency services at the scene, and operations are expected to continue for several hours. We kindly ask the public to avoid the area while this critical work is underway. As a safety precaution due to their proximity to the crash site, evacuations have been carried out at both Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club. Further updates will be provided as soon as they become available,” authorities said in a statement.
According to a statement given to Metro, the ambulance service deployed significant resources to the scene, including four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, four Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) units, and three senior paramedic vehicles. An Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance was also dispatched to assist with the emergency response.
The incident has raised concerns about safety procedures at the airport, which serves both commercial and private flights. Travellers and residents nearby have been advised to stay clear of the area until the scene is declared safe.
(Inputs from agencies)
