All Four Victims of Southend Airport Plane Crash Believed to be Foreign National

London Southend Airport became the scene of a tragic air disaster on Sunday afternoon, July 13, 2025, when a small medical transport plane, shortly after taking off, spiraled out of control and crashed within the airport boundary, erupting into a devastating fireball. The incident, which occurred around 3:48 PM, has tragically claimed the lives of all four individuals on board. While formal identification is still underway, Essex Police have indicated that all four fatalities are believed to be foreign nationals, adding a layer of international complexity to the ongoing investigation.
The ill-fated aircraft, identified as a twin-engine Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, had reportedly landed at Southend earlier in the day, completing an "ambulance flight" from Athens with an intermediate stop in Pula, Croatia. Its final destination was intended to be the Netherlands, the base of its operator, Zeusch Aviation, a company specializing in medical evacuation services and transplant flights. The precise nature of the flight at the time of the crash – whether it was carrying patients or medical equipment, or was simply repositioning – remains unclear, adding to the many questions investigators now face.
Witnesses at the airport described a horrifying scene. John Johnson, who was planespotting with his family, recounted seeing the aircraft take off from runway 05. "Shortly after take-off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed just head first into the ground," he stated, adding, "There was a big fireball." Other accounts echoed this chilling description, speaking of a "fireball" and a massive plume of black smoke billowing into the sky, visible from miles around. The immediate aftermath saw a swift response from emergency services, with fire engines, police, and ambulance crews converging on the crash site. Two nearby sports clubs, a golf club, and a rugby club, were evacuated as a precautionary measure due to their proximity to the incident.
Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin of Essex Police, in a statement delivered at the airport on Monday, confirmed the devastating loss of life. "Sadly, we can now confirm that all four people on board died," he announced. He further elaborated on the challenging process of identification: "We are working to officially confirm their identities. At this stage, we believe all four are foreign nationals." This revelation suggests a potentially intricate international liaison process for notifying next of kin and repatriating the remains, underscoring the global reach of such tragedies.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has promptly launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash. While the immediate focus is on securing the scene and recovering evidence, the inquiry will delve into various factors that could have contributed to the disaster. This will include a meticulous examination of the aircraft's maintenance records, the flight crew's qualifications and recent flight hours, weather conditions at the time of take-off, and any potential mechanical failures or human factors. Flight radar data has already provided some initial insights, indicating that the aircraft only reached an altitude of 175 feet and had a vertical speed of 129 feet per minute and a ground speed of 96 knots before its uncontrolled descent. This data suggests a critical failure occurred during the initial climb phase.
The crash has had significant operational repercussions for London Southend Airport. Immediately following the incident, the airport announced its closure until further notice, leading to the cancellation of all flights. EasyJet, a major operator at Southend, confirmed that several return flights were cancelled, and the airline is working to re-route passengers via alternative London airports or offer refunds. The closure is expected to remain in effect as investigators continue their work on the crash site, which is contained within the airport boundary. The disruption underscores the severity of the incident and the need for thorough investigation before normal operations can resume.
The tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with aviation, even for smaller aircraft and what are often considered routine flights. While the cause is yet to be determined, the sight of a modern aircraft erupting into a "fireball" shortly after take-off has undoubtedly sent shockwaves through the aviation community and the wider public. The process of understanding exactly what went wrong will be painstaking, involving specialists from various disciplines, but it is a crucial step not only for providing answers to the grieving families but also for preventing similar tragedies in the future. As the investigation unfolds, the focus will remain on the four individuals whose lives were lost and the international efforts to bring clarity and closure to this deeply regrettable incident.
Source@BBC