The small plane crashed after take-off from Southend Airport at around 4pm
Southend Airport has shut “until further notice” after a small plane crashed, sending a fireball into the sky.
Essex Police and East of England Ambulance Service are responding to the incident at the airport and a cordon is set to remain in place overnight.
Flight tracking data suggests the plane was a Beech B200 Super King Air that was leaving the airport for Lelystad in the Netherlands, having arrived from Croatia earlier in the day.
Witness John Johnson, who was at the airport with his children and wife, said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane crashed “head first into the ground”.
A spokesperson for Southend Airport said: “Our thoughts are with those affected by today’s events and all passengers impacted by this disruption.
“We will restart flight operations as soon as possible and will continue to update the public on developments.”
Labour MP for Southend West, David Burton-Sampson, wrote on X: “I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved.”
Essex Police said it was working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch to “establish what has happened and why”.
Key Points
What we know about the passenger plane crash at Southend airport
Emergency services rush to Southend airport after small passenger plane crash
Flight tracker shows moment Southend plane crashed shortly after takeoff
Southend Airport closed until further notice
Zeusch Aviation confirms one of its aircraft was involved in the crash
27 minutes ago
Pilots ‘waved to children’ before aircraft ‘crashed head first’ into ground at Southend Airport
John Johnson, who was at the airport with his children and wife, said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane crashed “head first into the ground”.
Mr Johnson, from Billericay, said: “We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us.
“The aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its take-off, departure, powered up, rolled down the runway.
“It took off and about three or four seconds after taking 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.”
Read more here:
Pilots ‘waved to children’ before aircraft crashed after take-off at Southend Airport
Witnesses watched in horror as the aircraft came down just seconds after taking off from Southend Airport
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 04:00
58 minutes ago
Zeusch Aviation confirms one of its aircraft was involved in the crash
Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands, has confirmed one of its aircraft was involved in the crash at Southend Airport on Sunday.
A statement from the firm said: “We can confirm that Zeusch Aviation flight SUZ1 was involved in an accident today at London Southend Airport.
“We are actively supporting the authorities with the investigation and will provide updates on this page as more information becomes available.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.”
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 03:30
1 hour ago
Police cordon set to remain overnight
A police cordon is currently in place while emergency services carry out their work.
Essex police said the cordon will be in place overnight and into tomorrow morning.
Members of the public have been asked to avoid the area while this work is carried out.
Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin said: “I fully appreciate the desire for more information in this matter, and we will share as much as we can, when we can, throughout our work.
“But it is vital for all involved that this investigation is carried out thoroughly and correctly, and to do that we will all need time.”
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 03:00
1 hour ago
‘I looked up and there was just a massive fireball basically 100 foot in the sky’
A bartender at Rochford Hundred Golf Club, which is next door to Southend Airport, said he felt a “big heat wave” before looking up to a “massive fireball” in the sky.
James Philpott told the BBC: “I was just basically in a hut like in the middle of the course and I didn’t even see any plane go down or anything and I just felt like a big heat wave come through and I looked up and there was just a massive fireball basically 100 foot in the sky.
“It was more the heat really just kind of hit me as I was sitting there, just like feel like I’m baking.”
He continued: “I think everyone was just quite shocked to be honest.
“People were sort of running towards it to see if anyone was injured or anything.”
Mr Philpott said he and others were collected from the course and taken back to the clubhouse where they remain now at a “safe distance” with the club closed.
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 02:30
2 hours ago
Watch: Flight tracker shows moment Southend plane crashed shortly after takeoff
Flight tracker shows moment Southend plane crashed shortly after takeoff
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 02:00
2 hours ago
Southend Airport plane crash: Police declare ‘serious incident’ as people nearby evacuated
Police declare ‘serious incident’ after Southend Airport plane crash
Emergency services were alerted shortly before 4pm on Sunday to reports of a serious collision involving a 12-metre plane
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 01:30
3 hours ago
What is the beech b200 aircraft reportedly involved?
The b200 aircraft reportedly involved in the crash is a small 12 metre plane.
The plane registered PH-ZAZ, was configured as a luxury private aeroplane with eight seats and a comfortable leather interior, according to a commercial charter website.
The Telegraph reported the plane – a Beechcraft King Air B200- is built with a jet turbine that spins a propeller and can carry more than 20 people.
The US-made planes are often used as short-haul charter airliners and for carrying light freight.
It also carries out medical evacuation flights.
Flightradar also indicates the operator was Zeusch Aviation, a Dutch company that specialises in medical evacuation services and transplant flights as well as private charters.
Zeusch Aviation listed the aircraft as available for “Medevac [medical evacuation]/ Repatriation / Transplant flights Service” on their own social media profile.
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 01:00
3 hours ago
Beech b200: What is the aircraft involved in the Southend airport plane crash?
Pictures of the incident showed black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
It’s not yet known how many passengers were on board, or if there were any casualties – however, details have emerged on the 12-metre plane involved.
Flight tracking data suggests the aircraft was a Beech B200 Super King Air, a US built aircraft with a jet turbine that can carry more than 20 people.
Read more here:
Beech b200: What is the aircraft involved in the Southend airport plane crash?
Flight tracking data suggest the aircraft was a Beech B200 Super King Air – a US built plane with a jet turbine that can carry more than 20 people
Rebecca Whittaker14 July 2025 00:30
4 hours ago
Everything we know about the London Southend Airport crash
A plane crashed after take-off at Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon, described by police as a “serious incident”.
Emergency services, including Essex Police, East of England Ambulance Service, and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, were alerted shortly before 4pm.
The incident involved a 12-metre plane, with images showing a plume of fire and black smoke from the crash site.
Police said as a precaution Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club were evacuated due to their proximity to the crash. However, the Rugby club has since said this was not the case.
Four flights scheduled for Sunday afternoon from Southend Airport were cancelled following the incident and the airport is to remain closed until further notice.
A police cordon will remain in place until Monday morning, Essex police said, this is to allow emergency services to investigate the scene.
The plane involved in the crash was reportedly a Beech B200 Super King Air.
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar, it took off at 3.48pm and was bound for Lelystad, a city in the Netherlands.
Flightradar also indicates the operator was Zeusch Aviation, a Dutch company that specialises in medical evacuation services and transplant flights as well as private charters.
It is unknown if there were any casualties.Zeusch Aviation confirms one of its aircraft was involved in the crash
Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands, has confirmed one of its aircraft was involved in the crash at Southend Airport on Sunday.
A statement from the firm said: “We can confirm that Zeusch Aviation flight SUZ1 was involved in an accident today at London Southend Airport.
“We are actively supporting the authorities with the investigation and will provide updates on this page as more information becomes available.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.”
