Latest news with #airportClosure
LBCI
14-07-2025
- LBCI
London Southend Airport closed, all flights canceled after small plane crash
London Southend Airport in Essex said that it has closed operations until further notice after the police said a small plane crashed at the airport on England's south-east coast on Sunday. All flights to and from the airport have been canceled while police, emergency services, and air accident investigators are attending the incident, London Southend Airport said in a post on X. "We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport," the local Essex police said, adding that they were alerted just before 4 p.m. to reports of a collision involving a 12-metre plane. It was unclear how many people were on the plane. The East of England Ambulance Service stated that it had dispatched four ambulances and other response vehicles. The airport's website showed five international flights had been canceled following the accident.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Southend airport to remain closed after fireball plane crash
London Southend Airport will remain closed until further notice after a plane crashed in what witnesses described as a "fireball". Essex Police said it was alerted to a 12-metre plane on fire at the site in Southend-on-Sea shortly before 16:00 BST on Sunday. On its website, the airport said all Monday's flights - departures and arrivals - have been "rerouted". It urged passengers to check with their airline for advice. There has been no confirmation on the number of casualties. Dutch company Zeusch Aviation confirmed that its SUZ1 flight had been "involved in an accident" at London Southend Airport. Based out of Lelystad Airport in The Netherlands, the company said they were actively supporting authorities with the investigation, and that their thoughts were with "everyone who has been affected". The plane had flown from the Greek capital Athens to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend, with a planned return to Lelystad Airport that evening. John Johnson, 40, from Billericay, Essex, was watching planes with his wife and children when he saw a "huge fireball" after the plane crashed "head first into the ground". Mr Johnson was at the airport with his wife and children to watch aircraft activity as he said his sons "are really into planes". "You could see [the pilots] smiling and we all kind of smiled back, the aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its take off point, powered up its engines and powered past us, carrying on down the runway," he told the BBC. "It took off in probably three or four seconds. It started to bank heavily to its left. "I said to my wife, that's unusual. We don't find aircraft normally turning at that stage in their ascent. "Within a few seconds of that, the aircraft almost inverted and hit the ground. There was a huge fireball." He called 999 to report the incident. James Philpott, a bartender at the Rochford Hundred Golf Club, had been in a hut in the middle of the course when he felt "a big heatwave". "I looked up and there was a massive fireball, basically," he told the BBC. "Everyone was just quite shocked… we haven't seen anything like this. "People were sort of running towards it to see if anyone was injured." People were evacuated from the course due to its close proximity with the crash, but Mr Philpott said some people remained in the clubhouse as it was further away. The chairman of Westcliff Rugby Club, which is near Southend Airport, said people at the club did not have to evacuate following the plane crash. Pete Jones said: "That didn't happen in the end [police] changed their mind. "We've got a big event there, 250 people, and they just said no, you don't have to evacuate." Mr Jones said the aircraft went down about 1,000m from the clubhouse and that people there could see smoke in the aftermath. Essex Police said it was working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch. Ch Supt Morgan Cronin said: "In these very early stages it is vital we gather the information we need, and continue supporting the people of Essex." The force asked people to keep its emergency lines open by using its dedicated major incident portal when contacting them about the incident. The transport secretary said her "thoughts are with all those involved" in the Southend Airport crash and that she was receiving "regular updates". In a post on X, Heidi Alexander said: "I'm aware of the tragic incident at Southend Airport this afternoon. "The emergency services are on scene and are advising the public to avoid the area where possible. "I am monitoring the situation closely and receiving regular updates." Earlier in the evening the Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh and the Southend City Council's cabinet member for business, culture, music and tourism, said they had been made aware of the incident. David Burton-Sampson and Matt Dent posted on X that their thoughts were with those involved and with the emergency services responding to the incident. Bayo Alaba, the Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford, told BBC Essex: "It really shook me. "My heart and thoughts go out to the families involved." Flight tracking information shows the plane was a Beech B200 Super King Air. BBC correspondent Tom Symonds said: "This sort of aircraft is a bit like a Land Rover of the skies. "It's a bit like an all-purpose vehicle and we can see that it has been rented out for roles including medical evacuation, moving transplant material, aerial mapping, that sort of thing." He said the "profile of this crash", with witnesses describing the plane veering to the left suggested "loss of power in the left engine". The records of this type of aircraft showed "similar crashes over the last 10 years or so". "One in particular, in Australia, there was a warning after that crash that the throttle levers - that control the power to the two engines - could slip back, reducing the power," he said. "One former aviation accident investigator that I've spoken to said that is an area that might be investigated - but these planes can fly with one engine." London Southend Airport Essex Police Essex County Fire and Rescue Service East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
London Southend Airport closed, all flights cancelled after small plane crash
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -London Southend Airport in Essex said that it has closed operations until further notice after the police said a small plane crashed at the airport on England's south-east coast on Sunday. All flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while police, emergency services and air accident investigators are attending the incident, London Southend Airport said in a post on X. "We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport," the local Essex police said, adding that they were alerted just before 4 p.m. to reports of a collision involving a 12-metre (39.4-foot) plane. It was unclear how many people were on the plane. Images from British newspaper websites, not verified by Reuters, showed a fireball rising into the air above Southend Airport, around 35 miles (56 km) east of London. The East of England Ambulance Service said it had sent four ambulances and other response vehicles. The airport's website showed five international flights had been cancelled following the accident.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Southend Airport remains closed following shocking aircraft crash
FLIGHTS from Southend Airport remain grounded following a plane crash which saw a 'huge fireball' erupt on the runway. All emergency services responded to reports of a crashed 12-metre plane at the airport at around 4pm yesterday. Southend Airport has asked passengers due to fly today to "contact their airline for information and advice". 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 Dutch Zeusch Aviation plane had flown from the Greek capital Athens to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend. It was due to return to Lelystad on Sunday evening. A spokesperson for Southend Airport said: "Due to a serious incident today at Southend Airport, we regret to advise that the Airport is closed until further notice. Shock - A fireball engulfed the crashed plane (Image: UKNIP) "All flights to and from the Airport have been cancelled while Police, emergency services and air accident investigators are attending the incident. "We ask that any passengers due to travel tomorrow via Southend Airport contact their airline for information and advice. "Our thoughts are with those affected by today's events and all passengers impacted by this disruption. We will restart flight operations as soon as possible and will continue to update the public on developments." According to eyewitnesses, the pilots of the crashed plane waved at children shortly before the collision. Read more 'Huge fireball' seen near Southend Airport as public asked to keep away Live: Huge 'fireball' seen as 12-metre plane crashes at Southend Airport Emergency services confirm a small plane has crashed in incident at Southend Airport Residents went on to witness "a huge fire ball" and describe feeling "shaken up" by the incident. Transport Secretary, Hedi Alexander, yesterday said her 'thoughts are with all those involved' in the Southend Airport crash and that she is receiving 'regular updates'. In a post on X, the minister said: 'I'm aware of the tragic incident at Southend Airport this afternoon. Smoke - All emergency services responded to the crash (Image: UKNIP) 'My thoughts are with all those involved. 'The emergency services are on scene and are advising the public to avoid the area where possible. 'I am monitoring the situation closely and receiving regular updates.'
The Sun
14-07-2025
- The Sun
Southend Airport closed ‘until further notice' with ALL flights cancelled after plane erupts into fireball on runway
A MAJOR UK airport remains closed following a plane crash yesterday. Southend Airport has shut "until further notice" after a small medical aircraft crashed, sending a fireball into the sky. 2 It's understood the plane was a Beech B200 Super King Air that was heading for Lelystad in the Netherlands. A statement added: "All flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while police, emergency services and air accident investigators are attending the incident."
