MANCHESTER (England, UK), July 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) –: 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 4pm to reports of a collision involving a 12m plane.
According to the BBC, a Beechcraft B200 plane crashed shortly after takeoff.
It was unclear how many people were on the plane.
Images from British newspaper websites showed a fireball rising into the air above Southend Airport, around 56km 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.
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.
Essex Police said it was working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch.
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.” — NNN-AGENCIES
