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In a devastating twist of fate, a Beech B200 Super King Air plane crashed moments after take-off from London’s Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon. The high-drama footage, recorded on video, depicts a huge fireball exploding shortly after the plane had crashed, with huge clouds of thick black smoke billowing from the wreckage. The clip immediately went viral on social media sites.
Based on preliminary reports, the plane was a twin-turboprop aircraft heading to Lelystad in the Netherlands and was due to depart at approximately 3:45 PM. The aircraft normally carries as many as 12 passengers. The number of individuals on board at this point is not confirmed.
Witnesses on the scene said the crash was horrific, with some remembering that they had just waved at the crew of the aircraft mere moments before the accident occurred. Emergency units were rapidly called to the scene and remain responding.
The Essex Police confirmed the accident in a formal statement, stating, “We are still at the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport. We were called just before 4 PM to reports of a collision between one 12-metre plane.” The statement continued by noting that the police are working with all emergency agencies at the site and that operations will last for a number of hours.
As a precautionary measure, surrounding areas like Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club have been evacuated. The authorities have asked the public to steer clear of the area as rescue and recovery missions are in progress.
No other details about casualties or causes of the accident have been made public yet. The public has been asked to keep watching as events unfold during the investigation.
