Light aircraft crashes and explodes into fireball seconds after take off from Southend Airport in Essex, United Kingdom
Emergency services raced to Southend Airpport in the city of Essex on Sunday about 4pm (local time) to reports a plane had slammed into the ground.
Photos shared to social media captured the moments after the crash, with a huge fireball and black smoke seen rising into the sky from the grounds of the airport.
The aircraft involved is reportedly a Beechcraft 200 Super King.
Depending on the model, it can seat up up 13 passengers.
Essex Police said it has responded to reports of a crash involving a "12-metre plane".
"We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours," a police spokesperson said, Sky News UK reported.
According to Flightradar, the aircraft was bound for the Netherlands.
Witness John Johnson said he and his kids had "waved" at the pilots of the doomed plane as it taxied to the runway for take off.
"Then they throttled up the engines and passed by us. The aircraft took off and within a few seconds it had a steep bank angle to its left," he said to Sky News UK.
Mr Johnson added the plane "almost seemed" to go upside down and then crash.
The number of passengers and crew on board is not known.
According to The Guardian, the plane was operated by Zeusch Aviation, a Dutch company specialising in medical evacuations and transplant flights.
One photo showed passengers boarding a larger aircraft looking at the fire in shock.
This is a developing story. More to come.
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