Four killed in small plane crash at London Southend Airport
The US-built Beechcraft B200 Super King Air plane had been bound for the Netherlands, when it 'got into difficulty and crashed within the airport boundary,' Essex Police Detective Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin told reporters.
The plane operated by Dutch firm Zeusch Aviation had flown from Athens, Greece to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend.
It was due to return to its home base of Lelystad, in the Netherlands, on Sunday evening.
The 12-metre-long turboprop plane came down moments after take-off and burst into flames.
'Sadly, we can now confirm that all four people on board died,' Cronin said.
'We are working to officially confirm their identities.'
Two Dutch pilots and a Chilean nurse were among those on board, according to a document which lists passengers, the PA news agency understands.
Zeusch Aviation operates medical evacuation and transplant flights as well as aerial mapping and private charters, according to its website.
The company said that 'it is with deep sadness that we confirm there were no survivors among the four people on board flight SUZ1'.
Southend Airport, which is located about 56km east of the capital and used by easyJet to fly to European holiday destinations, will remain closed until further notice, the airport's CEO Jude Winstanley said.
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which investigates civil aircraft accidents, said it was 'too early' to determine what caused the crash.
It has deployed eight inspectors to the site.
The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, first built in the 1970s, is an aviation workhorse used for a wide variety of roles around the world.
In 2017, a plane of the same model crashed into the roof of a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia moments after take-off, killing the pilot and four US tourists.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Australian passport losing its power compared to many other nations
Australia has fallen from sixth to seventh place in the latest Henley Passport Index, trailing countries such as Singapore, New Zealand and the UK. The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of places travellers can enter without a visa or with visa-on-arrival access. Australia now shares seventh place with Czechia, Hungary, Malta and Poland. Singapore is the world's most powerful passport, with visa-free access to 193 destinations out of 227. Japan and South Korea are in equal second place, each giving citizens access to 190 destinations visa-free. Seven countries are in third place including France, Germany, Ireland and Italy. They have access to 189 destinations. In fourth place there are also seven countries including Belgium, Sweden, Norway and Portugal. They have visa-free entry to 188 destinations. New Zealand is in fifth spot, along with Switzerland, while the UK is in sixth place. The US has slipped to 10th place and is close to falling out of the top 10 for the first time since the index began almost 20 years ago. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, with its citizens able to access just 25 destinations without a prior visa. Australians are still able to enter many countries without needing a visa beforehand. The data shows a general global shift towards more openness, mobility and passport strength. Over the past decade, more than 80 passports have climbed at least 10 places, and the global average number of destinations travellers can access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025. Notably, China has climbed 34 places from 94th to 60th since 2015. China has granted visa-free access to more than a dozen new passports since January, bringing its total to 75. These include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Henley and Partners chief executive Juerg Steffen said Americans were leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five. 'As the US and UK adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we're witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security,' he said. 'Your passport is no longer just a travel document – it's a reflection of your country's diplomatic influence and international relationships.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
Surprise shift in Aussies visiting the US
There's been a surprising spike in Aussies heading to the US after many were deterred by President Donald Trump's strict border stance and other controversial government policies. According to new data released by the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), travel from Australia to the US increased by 4.8 per cent year-on-year and was up 8 per cent in May 2025 compared to May 2024. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) were also up in various categories including travelling on a holiday (up 12 per cent compared with last year), visiting friends or relatives (up 15 per cent) or for business (up 8 per cent). It shows a solid improvement compared to April where there was a 6.2 per cent decline. US inbound travel to Australia, however, slipped by 3.7 per cent in May and remained flat year-on-year with a modest 0.6 per cent rise. 'The USA remains popular with outbound travellers, but the muted inbound response highlights challenges in achieving a balanced two-way tourism recovery,' ATIA director of compliance and membership, Nina Hedges said. Destinations Aussies are travelling to over the US The US continues to take a back seat to destinations like Bali, Japan and Vietnam, which lead the way as Australia's favourite overseas locations. According to recent ATIA figures, for the year ending May 2025, outbound travel surged by 12.5 per cent to 12.21 million trips, driven by a strong appetite for travel across Asia. Standout growth included Indonesia (Bali) up 16.3 per cent, Japan, up 32.4 per cent, Vietnam, up 25.8 per cent and China, up 26.9 per cent. 'Asia continues to shine as the preferred playground for Australian travellers, with Bali, Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City topping itineraries for millions,' Ms Hedges said. Japan specifically continues to see a growth in visitor numbers thanks to expanded flight options and the region's strength with the AUD, allowing it to stretch further for accommodation, dining and shopping. 'Australia's love affair with America could fade' Flight Centre chief executive and founder Graham Turner told that in the first three months of 2025, leisure bookings to the US from Australia dropped about 12 to 15 per cent compared to last year, while business travel remained 'on par'. But he anticipated the decline to 'accelerate' for both leisure and business travel across April, May and June. June figures are yet to be released. Meanwhile, Sarah Megginson, a personal finance expert at Finder, previously said perceptions of hostility and the current political climate 'could see Australia's love affair with America fade'. She warned Australians to check their travel insurance policies carefully before going to the US as many insurers would not provide cover if you are denied entry at the border. There's been reported cases of tourists being denied entry on arrival and at times, strip searched and thrown in prison. It comes as the US maintains strict immigration rules with significant emphasis on border security and entry eligibility. 'With tensions rising on American soil, Australians are rethinking holidays to the US at the moment,' Ms Megginson told in June. 'There's growing sentiment among Australians that the potential issues that could arise when visiting the US are beginning to outweigh the appeal of visiting some of our favourite cities. 'My husband recently got back from a week in Los Angeles, and he noticed a huge shift from previous visits: he was questioned in detail about all aspects of his trip and why he was travelling alone. 'It was a really hostile welcome, and if travellers feel they're being treated like suspects at the border, they'll simply take their travel dollars elsewhere.' Meanwhile, according to Finder survey results, it appears older Australians are less likely to be deterred by what is happening politically in the US, with this age group actually travelling to the States more on Intrepid trips this year than they did last year. Leigh Barnes, who is the company's managing director of the Americas, told his team had increased their focus on domestic travel within the US, promoting the right products at the right time, and increasing their brand presence. Canadians visiting the US plummets Other visitors from other countries aren't so enthusiastic about the US with Canada – the country's biggest market for international visitors – having plummeted more than 14 per cent, according to the US International Trade Administration, with almost a million fewer Canadians so far in 2025 compared to last year. Visitors from other countries, such as China, South Korea and Germany, have also declined. The drop in Canadian figures come as then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canadians not to spend holiday dollars in the US after Mr Trump's talks about tariffs and referring to Canada as 'the 51st state' in February. He repeated that call to action until he left office in April. Forbes reported that three-quarters of Canadians who had previously planned a trip to the US say the tariff announcements influenced their plans. Over half (56 per cent) of those who had been planning to visit the US have since decided to travel elsewhere, according to a survey by Leger Marketing of over 1,500 Canadian adults fielded mid-May. Tourism Economics, which forecasts foreign traveller arrivals in the states, said the US is looking at a significant nine per cent drop in international arrivals for 2025, and a drop of $US8.5 billion – $A13 billion (-4.7 per cent) in international visitor spending compared to last year. The travel data company's May report cited factors contributing to the negative outlook include Mr Trump's administration posturing and policy announcements, such as 'Liberation Day' tariffs across longstanding trade partners.
Sky News AU
16-07-2025
- Sky News AU
‘Unfathomably stupid': Albanese's six-day China trip slammed
The Australian's Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan slams Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his six-day trip to China, labelling the visit as 'unfathomably stupid'. 'The more I look at this with the cold eye of national interest, I think what on earth is going through the Prime Minister's mind to agree to a six-day trip to China?' Mr Sheridan told Sky News host Peta Credlin. 'When the Australia-US alliance is under more strain and under more neglect from both sides, Washington and Canberra, then it's been for many, many years. 'Albanese has secured nothing in China. There's been no substance in this trip; he's got nothing out of it.'
