In a shocking incident on Sunday afternoon, emergency services were forced to respond after a small plane crashed shortly after takeoff at London Southend Airport. Witnesses at the scene described horror as the plane suddenly tilted sharply and nose-dived to the ground, bursting into flames.
The crash, an apparent victim of structural failure of control surfaces, occurred shortly after takeoff when eyewitness John Johnson saw the plane tilt to the left. There was Johnson at the airport with his family. “All of a sudden, it turned left, flipped over, and crashed straight into the ground,” he said.
Just before it took off, we smiled and waved at the pilots — and they waved back too. Remembering that now feels really sad.”
The airport announced on social media that there had been a “serious accident” involving a “general aviation aircraft”. Official reports about the flight’s route and the number of people on board have not yet been confirmed, and early photos and videos on social media showed thick black smoke rising from the crash site.
Essex Police said they received an alert just before 4 p.m. local time. Their own units responded immediately, along with local fire and ambulance services. Airport firefighters arrived first, and were joined by two fire engines and several ambulances within minutes.
Nearby golf and rugby clubs had to be evacuated due to their proximity to the crash site. Local MP David Burton-Sampson said the public should avoid the area and allow emergency services to do their work. “Thinking of all those affected,” he wrote in a public message.
At least four departing flights were cancelled as officials continued to investigate the safety of the area and the cause of the crash, according to the airport’s website.
“We are yet to know the full extent of the impact and severity of this tragic incident.” We are focused on emergency relief and restoring normalcy at the airport and surrounding area during this period.
This is a sobering reminder of the need for safety and vigilance in all of London’s air travel sector plans.
