A young girl and her mother are among at least six individuals who have died in the US’s second plane crash tragedy in two days.
The daughter and mother and four crew members were travelling in a medical transport jet, which plunged to the ground seconds after taking off in Philadelphia on Friday at 6pm local time.
The plane exploded into a ball of fire which destroyed several homes. Authorities quickly declared the crash a major incident, reports the Mirror.
As the recovery mission continues, locals have been warned to stay away from the Northeastern Philadelphia neighbourhood. According to witnesses, debris covers city streets while homes have been destroyed.
The tragic incident happened just two days after another plane crashed in Washington DC, killing 67 people. Shai Gold, a spokesperson for the company which owned the Philadelphia plane, a Learjet 55, said: “When an incident like this happens, it’s shocking and surprising. All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical.”
He said the young girl had just completed treatment in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition and was on her way home to Mexico when horror struck. Jet Rescue, who owned the plane, said the four crew members were also from Mexico.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference late Friday that officials expect fatalities in this “awful aviation disaster.” He added: “We know that there will be loss.”
Photos and videos from the scene show a huge rescue response, with dozens of fire engines moving towards the area. Other images show an explosion as the plane plummeted in what is primarily known as a residential community.
Reports from those on the ground say that there is a “large debris field,” with multiple cars on fire, and the “smell of fuel in the air,” according to an eye witness calling into LIVENOW. The aircraft was identified as a Learjet 55, a Jet Rescue Air Ambulance. The crash happened near Northeast Philadelphia Airport, where it is thought the aircraft had taken off.
A resident of the area, Michael Schiavone, 37, was at home in Mayfair when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He claimed it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera footage, he said it looked like a missile was coming down. Mr Schiavone said: “There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second.”
Flight data revealed the small plane taking off from the airport at around 6.06 pm and disappearing from radar around 30 seconds later, after reaching an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 metres).
The tragic plane plunged near a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping centre where first responders are now blocking traffic and onlookers are crowded onto a street corner in the residential neighbourhood of Rhawnhurst. Philadelphia’s emergency management office said that roads are closed in the area.
Footage taken by a witness moments after the plane crashed shows a horrendous scene with debris scattered across the intersection. A wall of orange lit up the area just beyond the intersection, as a thick plume of black smoke rose into the sky. Meanwhile, some witnesses could be heard crying and sirens blared.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that two people were aboard the plane – a Learjet 55. The plane, which was a small, business-type jet, was en route to Mexico via Springfield, Missouri.
The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. The NTSB, which investigates air crashes, said it was gathering information about the crash.
Worried members of the public took to social media to raise their concerns over the second horror plane crash in as many days. The crash happened just two hours after a press conference from the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) confirmed that salvage barges en route to Wednesday’s mid-air collision site involving a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 airplane and a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will work “with the coroner’s office” to expedite the return of remains to families.
Rescue operations are currently underway, with teams combing through the debris in an attempt to retrieve the bodies of the 67 individuals on board for formal identification and burial. As per CNN, 41 bodies have been recovered from the crash site so far, with 28 having been identified by their families, reports the Express.
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