German nurse among four killed in Southend Airport 'fireball' plane crash
Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, 31, was reportedly working her first day as a "flight nurse" when the Beech B200 Super King Air plane she was on crashed and exploded on Sunday.
Ms Rojaz Ortiz is believed to have been accompanied by a Dutch pilot and co-pilot, as well as one other publicly unidentified victim.
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The BBC has identified the victim as a German citizen born in Chile who had previously worked as a nurse in the public sector.
A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched by Ms Rojaz Ortiz's friends to raise the money needed to return her remains to Chile.
The campaign's blurb reads: "It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of our beloved Feña in a tragic accident that is still being investigated by the authorities.
Sadness - Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz was one of the four people to die in Sunday's crash (Image: GoFundMe) "We know the pain is immense and shared by many people who loved her and supported her at different stages of her life.
"In the midst of this difficult time, we want to organize to support her family. This process entails many unexpected expenses—transfers, paperwork, possible travel, and everything necessary to say a proper goodbye.
"We are starting this charity fundraiser among friends, colleagues, and people close to Feña."
Read more
Beech B200: All we know about crashed Southend Airport plane
Emergency services confirm a small plane has crashed in incident at Southend Airport
What we know so far amid incident at Southend Airport after small plane crashes
Anna Smith, a friend of Ms Rojaz Ortiz's, told the BBC that the victim had got married in February 2024 and described her friend as "kindest soul".
Tragedy - A Beech B200 Super King Air crashed and exploded on Sunday afternoon (Image: UKNIP) Ms Smith also told the BBC that her friend has been excited for her first day of her new job.
The names of the four victims of Sunday's crash have not been officially released by authorities and an investigation is currently underway into its cause.
You can find the fundraiser for Ms Rojaz Ortiz's family at gofundme.com/f/maria-fernanda-rojas-ortiz
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