A light aircraft crashed at Southend Airport on Sunday, creating a “fireball” and huge plumes of smoke.Credit: ITV News

Detectives are working to identify and contact the families of the four people who were killed when a medical transport plane crashed at Southend Airport on Sunday.

The airport is due to remain closed until further notice as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The 12-metre long Beechcraft B200 Super King Air crashed just before 4pm on Sunday afternoon, hitting the ground shortly after take-off, with witnesses describing seeing a “fireball”.

Police confirmed on Monday that all four people on board – all foreign nationals – were killed. They are believed to be a pilot, co-pilot and two nurses.

ITV News looks at what is known about the crash so far – and how the investigation will proceed.

The crash site is visible in the top-right of the picture, near the airport perimeter.Credit: ITV News

What happened?

Essex Police were called shortly before 4pm on Sunday to reports there had been a collision involving a 12-metre plane, calling it a “serious incident”.

At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Det Ch Supt Morgan Cronin said the force was working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), RAF, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and Southend Airport to understand what happened.

Images posted on social media showed a plume of fire and black smoke rising from the crash site.

Eyewitness John Johnson from Billericay, who was at the airport with his family, said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane “crashed head first into the ground”.

Mr Johnson said the pilots waved at people on the ground, but the plane started to bank heavily to the left three or four seconds after take-off and then “crashed head-first into the ground”.

He said: “There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. All the kids saw it and the families saw it.”

Penny, who lives near the airport, told ITV News she saw “horrific” smoke billowing from the site.

“It was sickening; it was an awful, horrible feeling to know that had actually happened,” she said. “But then you start thinking what if? What if it had spiralled and gone into the houses? What if it had been a bigger plane? You just feel helpless, there’s nothing you can do. Just pray for everyone.”

As a precaution, police said they had evacuated the nearby Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club.

Rugby club chairman Pete Jones said this had not been necessary, adding the aircraft went down about 1,000 metres from the clubhouse and that people there could see smoke in the aftermath.

There was a police presence outside the Rochford Hundred Golf Club, near Southend Airport, on Monday.Credit: ITV News Anglia

How did the plane crash?

An entry on the website of the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives states there were two pilots and two passengers on board, all of whom were killed.

It said the plane was returning to its base in the Netherlands “following an ambulance flight” from Athens in Greece to Southend.

A brief entry on the circumstances of the crash says: “Shortly after takeoff from runway 05 at Southend Airport, while in initial climb, the twin-engine airplane rolled to the left then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a grassy area nearby the runway, bursting into flames.”

The AAIB has been at the scene since Sunday, and on Monday it confirmed it was investigating the crash.

The Civil Aviation Authority has placed an air exclusion zone around the crash site and the airport will remain closed until further notice.

Det Ch Supt Morgan Cronin addressed reporters on Monday.Credit: PA

Who was on board the plane?

It is understood that the plane was carrying a pilot, a co-pilot and two nurses, having been in the UK on an ambulance trip to deliver a patient.

Essex Police said on Monday it was still working to confirm their identities, though the force believes all four were foreign nationals. One of the nurses has been named as Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz, a 31-one-year old who is believed to have been on her first day in the job. The pilot and co-pilot are both believed to be Dutch.

On Sunday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the incident as “tragic” in a post on X, adding that her “thoughts are with all those involved” and that she was “monitoring the situation and closely receiving regular updates”.

David Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, told ITV News the incident was “absolutely tragic”.

He added: “So many people witnessed that in the local area and I’m just as shocked as I think they are. Southend Airport is a really important asset in our community, so to see that happen yesterday was really, really upsetting.”

At the press conference on Monday, Southend Airport chief executive Jude Winstanley said he offered “sincere condolences” to the friends and families of those killed and thanked the local community for its support.

He confirmed the airport would remain closed until further notice, advising passengers to contact their airline for information and advice.

There were scheduled to be 20 easyJet flights and two Eastern Airways flights departing from or arriving at the airport on Monday.

Emergency services on scene after ‘light aircraft’ crash at Southend Airport

What do we know about the aircraft?

The aircraft was operated by Zeusch Aviation, a firm based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands which confirmed its flight SUZ1 had been involved.

The plane had flown from the Greek capital Athens to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend. It was due to return to Lelystad on Sunday evening.

The statement said the company was “actively supporting the authorities with the investigation”, adding: “Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.”

The aircraft was described by police as a “12-metre plane”, and flight tracking website data appears to show it is a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, a twin-turboprop aircraft.

Passengers outside the terminal building at Southend Airport.Credit: PA

A brochure on Zeusch’s website for the specific plane, registered as PH-ZAZ and manufactured in 1994, says it is “a proven performer”.

“It can take off and land from short runways, and its versatility means that we can have it outfitted for your mission usually in two hours or less.”

What will the investigation into the crash involve?

Aerial footage shows the remains of the plane in a charred patch of grass near the airport’s perimeter

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which investigates air accidents and serious incidents in the UK, deployed six inspectors and engineering support staff shortly before 4.15pm on Sunday and two more inspectors joined the team on Monday.

A safety investigation has been launched to understand the circumstances and causes of the crash in parallel with Essex Police’s investigation.

Lisa Fitzsimons, principal investigator at the AAIB, said at the press conference on Monday: “If there are safety lessons that can be learnt, we will make recommendations that aim to prevent a similar accident occurring.

“At this stage it is too early to speculate on what may have caused this tragic accident.

“Our focus is on gathering the physical evidence from the site and interviewing witnesses. The remains of the aircraft will then be recovered for further detailed investigation.”

Lisa Fitzsimons of the AAIB said additional investigators had been sent to assist on Monday.Credit: PA

What was the emergency response?

Essex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed five crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir and Basildon, as well as two off-road vehicles attended.

The East of England Ambulance Service said four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, four hazardous area response team vehicles, three senior paramedic cars and an Essex and Herts Air Ambulance were sent to the incident.

Essex Police remained at the scene on Monday, where a wide cordon was in place.

The force has set up an online portal and phone line for those with information or questions about the incident.

Detectives urged people to use these specific channels for any contact about the crash, so that emergency lines could be kept open for other incidents.

Det Ch Supt Cronin added: “We are working closely with all at the scene, as well as the Air Accident Investigation Branch, to establish what has happened and why.”