Small plane crashes at London Southend Airport, emergency response ongoing
Footage showed a 12-metre aircraft engulfed in flames with thick black smoke rising from the scene.
Essex Police confirmed they were alerted just before 4:00 pm local time (1500 GMT).
Authorities stated they are coordinating with emergency services, with operations expected to continue for several hours.
London Southend Airport issued a statement acknowledging 'a serious incident' and assured the public that they are collaborating with local authorities.
'We will provide updates as soon as possible,' the statement read.
The BBC reported the aircraft involved was a Beechcraft B200, which crashed shortly after takeoff.
Southend-on-Sea, located about 65 kilometres east of London, is the sixth-largest airport in the region. - AFP
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