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News.com.au
7 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Huge fireball': Four dead in horrific medical plane crash in London
Four people died when a medical transport plane crashed and burst into flames shortly after take off at a London airport, including a woman who is understood to have been on her first day as a flight nurse. A pilot, co-pilot, nurse and doctor were tragically killed when the Beech B200 Super King Air crashed on Sunday afternoon, local time, at London Southend Airport. The international airport is located on the outskirts of resort town Southend-on-Sea in Essex. All flights have been cancelled and the airport remains closed. Three bodies have been recovered from the crash site with the fourth expected to be recovered within the next 24 hours, the latest update from Essex Police on Tuesday afternoon (12.55am Wednesday AEST) said. German Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, 31, has been named by friends as the nurse on board. A friend told BBC Ms Rojaz Ortiz was 'fun' and 'outgoing' with the 'kindest soul'. 'She had a giving heart and was humble, and chose a profession that reflected that,' Anna Smith said. 'She was so excited for this new job – it was her first day.' Police have not officially identified the victims, who are all foreign nationals. The pilots and doctor were men. Essex Police Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin described the crash as an 'incredibly complex incident' and said police were investigating alongside the Air Accident Investigation Branch. 'Everything we are doing is aimed at finding and preserving the physical and electronic evidence which we hope will help build an accurate picture of what happened,' he said. 'The scale of the work being undertaken by many agencies here at Southend Airport should not be underestimated. 'That work at the scene will continue today and further into the week as we seek to find the answers to what happened here on Sunday afternoon.' The flight was a medical flight chartered to London Southend Airport for a patient to be transported onward for medical treatment in the UK, police said. The aircraft had landed at the airport earlier in the day and had then taken off on route to the Netherlands. 'Shortly after takeoff, it got into difficulty and crashed within the airport boundary,' Chief Superintendent Cronin said in an earlier press conference. The plane was operated by Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands. London Southend Airport said it would remain closed 'until further notice' and advised people with flights scheduled to contact their airline. 'The friends and families of those lost on Sunday are at the forefront of our minds,' an airport spokesperson said. 'Our team continues to work closely with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch to support their work.' Witnesses described seeing a 'huge fireball' at the airport at about 4pm on Sunday. They said the pilots of the plane had waved at children shortly before the crash. John Johnson, who witnessed the crash with his family and said he was 'pretty shaken up', told PA news agency: 'We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us. 'The aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its takeoff, departure, powered up, rolled down the runway. '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 of less inverted and crashed just head first into the ground. 'There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. 'All the kids saw it and the families saw it. I phoned 999, reported it.' A bartender at the nearby golf club, which was evacuated following the crash, said he felt 'a big heatwave' before seeing a 'massive fireball' in the sky. James Philpott told the BBC: 'I was just basically in a hut like in the middle of the course and I didn't even see any plane go down or anything and I just felt like a big heatwave come through and I looked up and there was just a massive fireball basically 100 foot in the sky. 'It was more the heat really just kind of hit me as I was sitting there, just like, feel like I'm baking.' He continued: 'I think everyone was just quite shocked to be honest.' Essex Police have urged members of the public who either witnessed the crash or have video footage of it to get in touch with them. They are particularly interested in footage of any small jets – not commercial aircraft – landing at Southend Airport on Sunday, July 13 between 2.15pm and 4pm.
The Independent
20 hours ago
- The Independent
Southend plane crash: Everything we know as victims named and airport closed
Southend Airport remains closed after a small aircraft crashed close to the runway and burst into flames, killing four people. Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, 31, a German citizen born in Chile, was reportedly on her first day as a flight nurse on board the small aircraft when it came down in an explosion after take-off on Sunday afternoon (13 July). A Dutch pilot and co-pilot, along with one other person, were also on the Beech B200 Super King Air, operated by Zeusch Aviation, which specialises in medical evacuations.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Haunting final moments of doomed Southend Airport plane before it exploded in fireball and killed four on board including nurse, 31, on her first day in new job
The haunting final moments of the doomed Southend Airport plane show it speeding up the runway before tragically exploding into a fireball just minutes later. All onboard the Zeusch Aviation Flight SUZ1 died after it crashed at the airport near London at around 4pm on Sunday. The international airport, near Southend–on–Sea in Essex, has since been forced to cancel all flights and close 'until further notice '. The 12–metre plane operated by the Dutch company Zeusch Aviation is owned by IT millionaire Con Zwinkels, who also piloted a Boeing 747 for Martinair, according to Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf. And the newly released footage shows the aircraft's final moments before the flight, headed for the Netherlands, descended into tragedy. Essex Police chief superintendent Morgan Cronin yesterday confirmed that all four people who died onboard the plane were foreign nationals. Two Dutch pilots and a newlywed Chilean nurse were among those on board, according to a document which lists passengers. It is also understood that the plane had dropped off a patient at Southend and was due to return to its base overseas. Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, a German citizen but born in Chile, was named as one of the foreign nationals who died when the jet 'corkscrewed' and burst into a ball of flames. It was yesterday revealed 31-year-old Ms Ortiz had worked as a nurse before but was on her first shift as a flight nurse, the BBC reported. Her friends, who called her Feña, have described her as the 'kindest soul' who 'didn't have a single bad bone in her body'. They added that 'she was humble and chose a profession that reflected that'. The nurse had also reportedly married her partner last year, leaving her newly wed wife devastated. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to all four people killed saying his 'thoughts are with their families and loved ones'. '[On Sunday] afternoon, an aircraft which had landed here earlier in the day took off bound for the Netherlands,' Chief superintendent Morgan Cronin told a press conference this afternoon. 'Shortly after take-off, it got into difficulty and crashed within the airport boundary. Sadly, we can now confirm that all four people on board died. 'We are working to officially confirm their identities. At this stage, we believe all four are foreign nationals.' The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched an investigation into what caused the Beech B200 Super King Air to suddenly plummet to the ground seconds after take-off. Chief superintendent Morgan Cronin continued: 'Our detectives and forensic teams are working in parallel with air accident investigators, the Royal Air Force, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and London Southend Airport to build an accurate picture of what happened. 'To aid our investigation, the Civil Aviation Authority has put in place a significant air exclusion zone surrounding the crash site. 'We're also speaking with dozens of witnesses, some of whom have already provided video footage, and we'd like to thank them for their help. I know this would be an extremely distressing scene for them. 'I know there will be a lot of questions about what happened here [on Sunday]. We are doing all we can to establish the facts and get those answers.' Lisa Fitzsimons of the AAIB said at this stage 'it is too early to speculate' on what may have caused the plane crash. She said: 'Our focus is on gathering the physical evidence from the accident site and interviewing witnesses. 'The remains of the aircraft will then be recovered to our facility in Farnborough, Hampshire, for further detailed investigation.' Footage on social media shows a plume of fire and black smoke billowing into the air from the crash site, while witnesses described seeing the medical jet 'corkscrew' before erupting into a ball of flames. Ben Guppy, 34, who had taken his 15–month–old daughter to the fifth floor of a nearby Holiday Inn hotel to watch the planes take off and land, told MailOnline he saw the plane reach 'probably 50 metres off the runway' before it began tilting left. Describing the moment of impact, the wholesale director explained: 'My daughter was pointing at it and then it lifted to the left. The left wing came down, the ring wing came up. I thought 'He's keen to go left as soon as he takes off.' 'He's banking hard left and then the next thing you know, it's like another handbrake turn. He went left so violently and I thought 'What is he doing?' He was only about 100 metres up by this point. 'And then he corkscrewed upside down into the floor, the plane was only in the air for seconds. I looked at it and the fireball went up, there was fire and smoke everywhere. Luckily my daughter was facing the other way.' A plane 'corkscrewing' refers to the moment an aircraft rapidly spirals to towards the ground. The frantic moment a group of golfers, playing at the nearby Rochford Hundred Golf Club, rushed to the burning wreckage was also caught on camera. Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in The Netherlands, confirmed its SUZ1 flight had been 'involved in an accident' at Southend Airport. The statement said the company was 'actively supporting the authorities with the investigation', adding: 'Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.' Zeusch Aviation's website says the plane can be used for medical flights to transport patients or organs. It has also been deployed for aerial mapping flights. The plane had flown from the Greek capital Athens to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend. It was scheduled to return to Lelystad on Sunday night. London Southend Airport will remain 'closed until further notice' after a plane crashed shortly after taking off on Sunday, the airport's chief executive Jude Winstanley said. Speaking at a press conference at the airport, he said: 'Our staff are working closely with the emergency services and air accident investigators to support their work. I would like to thank them for all of their hard work during this period. 'We are in constant dialog with our operating airlines, and as I'm sure everyone will understand, the airport will remain closed until further notice. Passengers should contact their airline for information and advice.' There were scheduled to be 20 easyJet flights and two Eastern Airways flights departing from or arriving at the airport on Monday. EasyJet said the company's remaining flights to and from the airport had been ' diverted to alternative airports or are no longer able to operate '. Witnesses have told of the terrifying moment the plane crashed into a fireball as they watched on in horror. Mr Guppy and his family, from Benfleet, Essex, have often made a trip out of going to the Holiday Inn at the airport, which has a bar and restaurant on the fifth floor with a window to watch the planes. The crowd in the bar began screaming, he recalled, while his own wife was distraught. The father told MailOnline: 'I just looked around like "Am I dreaming?". I turned to my wife Jess, who had her hands over her face. She was pretty much in tears. She's still pretty upset about it all.' Mr Guppy said they were 'about 500 metres away on the fifth floor, so it's not like we could help. We decided to get our daughter out of there'. He added: 'Driving home I did have a lump in my throat and goosebumps. Everyone was pulled over at the side of the road watching the smoke. 'On my way back I rang the police and told them what I'd seen. They told me they'd give me a call on Monday.' John Johnson, who was at the airport with his children and wife on Sunday, said they saw a 'big fireball' after the plane crashed 'head first into the ground'. Mr Johnson, from Billericay, told the PA news agency: 'We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us. 'The aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its take–off, departure, powered up, rolled down the runway. '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. 'There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it.' He said he felt 'shaken up' and his thoughts were with the people on the plane and their loved ones. As a precaution, because of their proximity to the incident, police said they were evacuating the Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club but rugby club chairman Pete Jones said it had not been necessary. A bartender at the golf club, which is next door to the airport, said he felt a 'big heat wave' before looking up to a 'massive fireball' in the sky. James Philpott told the BBC: 'I was just basically in a hut like in the middle of the course and I didn't even see any plane go down or anything and I just felt like a big heat wave come through and I looked up and there was just a massive fireball basically 100 foot in the sky. 'It was more the heat really just kind of hit me as I was sitting there, just like, feel like I'm baking.' He continued: 'I think everyone was just quite shocked to be honest. 'People were sort of running towards it to see if anyone was injured or anything.' In a post on X, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the incident as 'tragic', adding that her 'thoughts are with all those involved' and that she was 'monitoring the situation and closely receiving regular updates'. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir and Basildon, along with off road vehicles from Billericay and Chelmsford attended the incident. Four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, four hazardous area response team vehicles, three senior paramedic cars and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance were also sent to the scene, the East of England Ambulance Service said. Posting on X, David Burton–Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, said: 'I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. 'Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved.' An AAIB spokeswoman said: 'The AAIB has started an investigation into an accident involving an aircraft near Southend Airport which occurred [on Sunday] afternoon. 'A multi-disciplinary team including inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, human factors, engineering and recorded data arrived at the accident site yesterday afternoon. Inquiries are ongoing today.' Southend Airport said the incident involved a 'general aviation aircraft' and the airport was 'working closely with the local authorities'. Essex Police have set up a dedicated public portal where people can contact them about the crash which can be accessed by clicking here.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
German nurse among four killed in Southend Airport 'fireball' plane crash
A GERMAN nurse was among the four people killed after a small plane crashed off the runway at Southend Airport, according to the BBC. 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. We're now on WhatsApp! Join our new channel at to get all the latest breaking news and exclusive stories delivered straight to your phone. 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
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Southend tragedies taking 'toll on people'
Two major tragedies in a city have taken a toll on residents, a council leader said. A Dutch pilot, a co-pilot and a nurse were among four people who died after a small plane crashed at London Southend Airport on Sunday. The incident came weeks after Leonna Ruka, 7, from Dagenham in east London, was killed when a branch from a large tree in Chalkwell Park fell on five children on 28 June. Her inquest is due to take place on Wednesday. Southend-on-Sea City Council leader Daniel Cowan said: "Two major tragedies in a short space of time is clearly going to take their toll on people, which is why we're encouraging people - anyone needing help - to reach out for it." The Labour leader added that the council had been encouraging residents to seek help if they need it "during these difficult times." "People are coming together and mourning these tragedies as a community, and you can see the outpour of love and support in person and online with communities looking to help and support each other," he said. London Southend Airport has been closed since the plane crash, and witnesses described a "fireball" type explosion soon after the Netherlands-bound light aircraft had taken off. A woman who was killed when the plane crashed was working on her first day as a "flight nurse", the BBC understands. Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, 31, was a German citizen born in Chile and had previously worked as a nurse in the public sector. To find out more about the support on offer to residents, contact Southend-on-Sea City Council. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Airport to remain shut after fireball plane crash Southend tree fall tragedy: What do we know so far?
