Southend plane crash: Essex Police to give update on plane crash - as four people reportedly killed
Hello and welcome to our live coverage.
In just over an hour, we are expecting Essex Police to give an update on yesterday's plane crash in Southend.
The 12m-long plane came down near London Southend Airport just before 4pm, with images posted online showing a large fire and a plume of black smoke near the crash site.
Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands, confirmed its SUZ1 flight had been "involved in an accident".
The statement said the company was "actively supporting the authorities with the investigation", adding: "Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected."
The circumstances of the crash remain unknown.
We'll have all the latest information here...
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Telegraph
8 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Delta flight narrowly avoids mid-air crash with B-52 bomber
A passenger jet was forced into an 'aggressive manoeuvre' to avoid crashing into a US air force bomber. A SkyWest flight, acting as a Delta connection between Minneapolis to Minot, North Dakota, was cleared for landing on Friday when the pilot 'performed a go-around' to avoid colliding with a B-52 bomber, the airline said. In a video recording captured by a passenger in the airliner, the pilot can be heard apologising to passengers on board, saying they probably saw the aeroplane 'coming at us' and that 'nobody told us about it'. Flight tracking data reviewed by The Washington Post shows SkyWest Flight 3788 make a sharp right turn as it approaches Minot airport, then climb in altitude as it circled to land. Around the same time, a B-52 performed a circular manoeuvre in the same area. The pilot told passengers the airport's control tower does 'everything visually' because it does not have radar and had instructed him to turn right, where he saw the military plane hovering into view. At first, the pilot said he mistook the plane for a small aircraft before realising it was a military plane on a 'convergence course' with the jet. 'It caught me by surprise' Given the speed the bomber was travelling, the pilot said he felt it was the 'safest thing to turn behind it' and perform a go-around, aborting an initial landing before approaching for a second time once the skies were clear. 'Sorry about the aggressive manoeuvre, it caught me by surprise,' the pilot said. 'This is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads-up. 'The air force base does have radar, and nobody said: 'Hey, there's a B-52 in the pattern.'' Passengers applauded the pilot for his quick-thinking as he signed off by saying: 'It was not a fun day at work. Have a nice evening, and I'm glad you are safe.' US air force officials did not provide details of the incident, but said they are looking into the matter after a B-52 bomber performed a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot, which is home to an air force base. 'We are aware of the recent reporting regarding commercial and air force aircraft operating in airspace around Minot International Airport. We are currently looking into the matter,' the service said in a statement. 'I remember the plane going sideways' Monica Green, the passenger who recorded the video of the pilot's apology, said the incident left her feeling 'sick to my stomach'. 'I just remember the plane going, like, sideways... and just looking straight out the window and just seeing grass, like you weren't seeing the skyline anymore,' she told NBC News. She added that she was nervous about returning to the airport for her homeward flight. The long-range B-52 bomber is 159ft long with a 185ft wingspan and is capable of carrying nuclear and precision guided weapons at an altitude of up to 50,000ft. The aircraft has been the backbone of the air force's strategic bomber force for 60 years and played a key role in the Gulf War and Nato's bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. The close encounter comes after an army black hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Reagan National Airport in Washington DC in January, killing 67 people. The crash prompted lawmakers to review coordination between military and civilian aircraft. The FAA has said it is investigating the incident. A SkyWest spokesman said: 'SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota on July 18, landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path. We are investigating the incident.'
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Delta flight swerves to avoid hitting military plane in shocking near miss
A Delta pilot pulled off an 'aggressive maneuver' to avoid colliding with a military bomber, preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster over North Dakota. The regional jet was nearing Minot International Airport after a 90-minute flight from Minneapolis–Saint Paul when the pilot suddenly began making a series of sharp, unexpected turns. Unbeknownst to the passengers at the time, the plane had come terrifyingly close to crashing into a massive military jet flying out of Minot Air Force Base. Monica Green, a passenger on the flight, told a local outlet: 'Being in the very front row, you feel everything, and those hard turns, you could tell something wasn't right.' The pilot's quick thinking saved hundreds of lives, despite unsettling passengers. As the pilot sharply swerved through the air to avoid disaster, passengers described the atmosphere onboard as 'weirdly calm', despite the sudden turns. Green added: 'We took a really hard turn, and that's when the pilot got on the intercom and said, '"sorry everybody, I'll explain everything when we land safely". The way he said it, it almost sounded like he was insinuating that landing safely might not be an option for a moment. We all just kind of looked at each other and stayed quiet.' The flight circled Minot Airport several times before finally landing, with passengers sensing the rising tension among the crew. Some, including Green, quietly began texting loved ones. Describing the pilot's demeanor, Green said: 'He was very casual, if you can be casual about something like that. But you could tell he was stressed. He was almost shaking, trying to find the right words, but he was nice and detailed. It felt good that they weren't just going to brush it off.' Once the plane landed safely, the pilot addressed passengers and said that air traffic control had instructed an abrupt course change due to inadequate separation from another aircraft on the approach path. He told passengers he had received no prior warning about nearby military air traffic - something he noted was highly unusual, given Minot Air Force Base's radar capabilities. Acting fast, the pilot decided the safest move was to swerve the plane behind the bomber - hence the abrupt movements, according to video obtained by ABC News. 'Given his speed - I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us, I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it,' the pilot said once on the ground. He added: 'So sorry about the aggressive maneuver, it caught me by surprise, this is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar. 'Long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it, and thank you for understanding. Not a fun day at work.' Monica Green, a passenger on the flight with a sizable Instagram following, shared a clip of the pilot's in-flight explanation to her platform, praising his expertise in the caption and thanking him for keeping everyone safe. In the video, the pilot is heard calmly explaining to passengers that another aircraft had been heading toward them - and noting that he still didn't understand why they hadn't been informed about it in the airspace. He also explained that he initially thought the approaching aircraft was a small plane - but it turned out to be a massive military jet. Although Green couldn't see the bomber from her seat, she later overheard tense conversations in the small airport terminal - passengers and crew quietly discussing just how close the collision had actually been. 'When we landed, it was really quiet. No one stood up right away like people normally do,' she said, adding: 'At the airport, I heard some people saying their friends saw it from the ground. The other plane nearly hit us, and it went so low it passed under us.' SkyWest has since launched an investigation into the incident, a spokesperson told ABC in a statement. 'SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota, landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path,' the statement read. 'We are investigating the incident.'
Reuters
38 minutes ago
- Reuters
FAA investigating close call between SkyWest jet, B-52 bomber
WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is investigating a close call between a SkyWest Airlines (SKYW.O), opens new tab jet and an Air Force jet over North Dakota. SkyWest Flight 3788, an Embraer ERJ-175 operating as Delta Connection (DAL.N), opens new tab from Minneapolis to Minot, North Dakota, landed safely in Minot Friday after being cleared for approach but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path, SkyWest said.
