‘There was big fireball': Plane crashes at London Southend Airport seconds after take-off, says witness
One X user shared the video, claiming that a small aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from London Southend Airport on Sunday, "erupting into a massive fireball and sending thick black smoke into the sky."
"The plane, identified as a Beech B200 Super King Air, had departed at 3:48 p.m. and was en route to Lelystad, Netherlands," according to Flightradar, the X post claimed.
It claimed eyewitnesses reported that "just seconds after take-off, the plane veered sharply to the left, inverted, and crashed headfirst into the ground."
Mint could not verify the authenticity of the video.
In a statement on social media, the airport confirmed a 'serious incident' involving what it termed a general aviation aircraft.
It later said that all flights to and from the airport have been cancelled until further notice, while police, emergency services and air investigators assess the incident, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, British media said it was a medical transport jet equipped with medical systems for transporting patients, specifically a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air heading to the Netherlands.
Essex Police said it was alerted just before 4 pm local time to the 'serious incident" at the relatively small airport, which is around 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of the capital.
Soon after the crash, images circulated on social media showing a plume of fire and black smoke emanating from the crash site. The plane involved is said to be 12 meters (39 feet) long.
Witness John Johnson, who was at the airport with his family, said he saw a 'big fireball' after the plane 'crashed head first into the ground.'
'It took off and about three or four seconds after taking off, 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 head-first into the ground," he was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
'There was a big fireball," he added.
Johnson said that before the plane got into position for take-off, he and his family waved at the pilots and 'they all waved back at us.'
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