Plane Explodes on Takeoff at London Southend Airport, Four Dead
A horrific scene unfolded yesterday afternoon at London Southend Airport when a small plane crashed in a "huge fireball" moments after takeoff, tragically killing all four people on board. The incident, which occurred around 4:00 PM local time on Sunday, July 13, has led to the immediate and indefinite closure of the airport.
Witnesses described a terrifying spectacle: a twin-propeller Beech B200 Super King Air, operated by Dutch company Zeusch Aviation, ascended briefly before banking sharply, inverting, and plunging to the ground within the airport boundary. "There was a big fireball," recounted John Johnson, a witness who was at the airport with his family and had even waved to the pilots just moments before the crash.
The four victims, believed to be foreign nationals comprising two pilots and two passengers, were on what was reportedly a medical transportation flight. The aircraft had arrived from Athens, Greece, with a stop in Croatia, and was en route to its base in Lelystad, Netherlands, when disaster struck.
Emergency services, including Essex Police, multiple fire crews, and ambulance services, swarmed the scene. As a precautionary measure, nearby Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club were evacuated.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched a full inquiry into the fatal crash, with a multi-disciplinary team already on site. Zeusch Aviation has confirmed its involvement and is cooperating with authorities.
This remains a developing story as investigators work to determine the cause of this tragic aviation disaster.
