NEED TO KNOW
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A plane crashed at London Southend Airport on Sunday, July 13
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Essex Police were notified of the crash at the airport in Essex, England, at around 4 p.m. local time
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According to footage shared on social media, a plume of black smoke was seen in the area of the crash
A plane crashed moments after takeoff at the London Southend Airport in England.
Essex Police and the East of England Ambulance Service responded to the scene on Sunday, July 13. Police were notified of the crash at the airport in Essex at around 4 p.m. local time, according to a statement from authorities shared on Facebook.
“We are working with all emergency services at the scene now, and that work will be ongoing for several hours,” the statement said.
Officials asked the public to avoid the area for the time being. Police are currently evacuating the nearby Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club.
The East of England Ambulance Service said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that they sent four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, four Hazardous Area Response Team vehicles, three senior paramedic cars and an Essex and Herts Air Ambulance to the airport.
Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty
Beech B200 plane (stock image)
“This is a live incident and still developing as we work at the scene with our emergency services colleagues and aviation partners,” the ambulance service said.
According to footage shared on X, a plume of black smoke was seen in the area of the crash.
The Independent reported that the plane was a Beech B200 that had departed for the Netherlands. A flight tracker reportedly showed the crash occurring shortly after takeoff, per the outlet.
London Southend Airport confirmed the incident in a statement, writing, “We can confirm there has been a serious incident at London Southend Airport this afternoon involving a general aviation aircraft. We are working closely with the local authorities and will be able to provide more information as soon as possible.”
Nearby resident Dani Hill recalled witnessing the incident in an interview with U.K. news outlet UKNIP.
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“I saw the huge fireball from my window. I’m still shaking like mad. I’ve never seen anything like it. Praying all involved are OK,” Hill said.
It is not known how many passengers were on the plane. The number of casualties has not yet been confirmed.
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