People who saw it happen stated the pilot waved and smiled at the kids by the barrier. He even dipped the wings of the plane as a sign of friendship. But just a few seconds later, the plane couldn’t get high enough. It fell to one side and crashed close to the runway’s edge. The aircraft burst into flames. Emergency responders got there fast, but they couldn’t save the pilot. He was the only one on the plane, and he perished at the site. Officials are now looking into whether the collision was caused by engine problems or something else. The AAIB is also looking at records of repairs and flight data to figure out what went wrong.
A Kind Act Before the Disaster
John Johnson took his wife and kids to the airport. He shared the sad time. “We all waved at the pilots, and they waved back,” he claimed. “Then the plane turned left, flipped over, and crashed. Then, there was a tremendous fireball. His kids were happy just a few seconds before everything went bad.
At first, everything seemed fun and happy. But the scene swiftly changed to fear and despair. A lot of families, including kids, observed the crash happen.
Airport workers helped them get to a safe place and offered comfort. Later, officials congratulated the emergency services and began counselling families, especially children who had seen the collision.
Seconds Between Takeoff and Disaster
According to flight tracker data, the plane left Southend Airport at about 3:48 p.m. The Dutch business Zeusch Aviation ran the plane. The plane was going to Lelystad in the Netherlands. Before that, it had flown from Croatia’s Pula.
At first, everything seemed normal. The jet took off from the runway without any problems.
But just a few seconds later, something terrible happened. People who saw it stated the plane swung quickly to the left within three to four seconds after it took off. After that, it turned upside down and crashed nose-first close to the runway. When it hit, a huge fireball went off. The sky was full of thick smoke and flames.
There was a huge boom that everyone nearby heard. They could feel the heat and see things flying around. Some people yelled and rushed away to safety. Firefighters got there in only a few minutes. But the fire had already spread so that they couldn’t save the pilot.
Now, the people looking into it are trying to figure out what went wrong. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is looking at the flight data, the black box, and the maintenance records to figure out what caused the crash.
Fireball and Breaking Up
The plane blew up and caught flames right after the crash. Thick black smoke ascended high into the air and could be seen from far away. People at the neighbouring Rochford Hundred Golf Club, including golfers and bartenders, felt a strong surge of heat. Then they looked up and saw a massive fireball flying up into the air almost 100 feet.
Response to an Emergency
After the crash, emergency teams acted promptly. Essex County Fire & Rescue dispatched crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir, Basildon, Billericay, and Chelmsford. They also employed cars that could go off-road to get to the incident site more quickly.
The East of England Ambulance Service also deployed a full team at the same time. They came with four ambulances, a quick-response car, four units for dangerous areas, three senior paramedic vehicles, and an air ambulance.
The initial alert came to Essex Police just before 4:00 p.m. They said that a 12-meter plane had crashed. The police swiftly set up a large safety zone and began working with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to secure the area and start the investigation.
Immediate Evacuations and Disruptions
After the tragedy, Southend Airport cancelled all flights. Some flights were late, and others were moved to other airports. EasyJet cancelled flights to Paris, Alicante, Faro, and Palma de Mallorca in the evening. The airline told people to use flight tracker applications or rebook or get their money back.
To keep people safe, places close by, such as Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club, promptly got everyone out.
Airport officials said it was a “serious incident.” They said they are cooperating closely with the police and the people who are looking into the case. They also said they would give further updates soon.
Profile and Mission of the Aircraft
The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air is a twin-turboprop plane that is 12 meters long. People commonly use it for medical flights and trips. The plane can hold nine people and two crew members.
This plane was run by Zeusch Aviation, a firm based in the Netherlands. The aircraft was ready to carry sick people. Still, it’s not known if the flight had a patient on board or if it was empty.
This plane, flight SUZ1, crashed, according to Zeusch Aviation. The business stated it is working closely with the police to figure out what caused the crash.
Injuries and an ongoing investigation
Right now, officials haven’t said for sure if there were any more individuals on board than the pilot. So yet, no one has lived through the crash.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the Essex Police are working together to find exactly what happened. They have already begun a complete probe.
Heidi Alexander, the Secretary of Transportation, sent her condolences in a post on X (previously Twitter). David Burton-Sampson, the local MP, also advised people to be calm and let emergency workers do their jobs without any problems.
Looking Ahead
Southend Airport is still closed. No flights are going out unless officials say something new. EasyJet is aiding passengers who are stuck by giving them refunds and replacement tickets.
The pilot’s wave was a kind, friendly thing to do. But tragically, things feel drastically different now that the crash happened.
Families and rescue personnel are still in shock and despair as investigators strive to figure out why the plane crashed barely seconds after takeoff.
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