All four people aboard a small plane that crashed shortly after taking off from London Southend Airport were killed, police said Monday.
Britain’s national news agency, PA Media, reported that a document listing passengers read that two Dutch pilots and a Chilean nurse were among those aboard, says AP.
Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, 31, a German citizen born in Chile, was reportedly on her first day as a flight nurse on board the small aircraft when it came down after take-off on Sunday afternoon, says BBC.
A Dutch pilot and co-pilot, along with one other person, were also on the Beech B200 Super King Air, operated by Zeusch Aviation, which specialises in medical evacuations.
The names of the victims have not yet been officially released.
The 12-meter (39-foot) turboprop plane came down moments after takeoff and burst into flames.
The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air operated by Dutch firm Zeusch Aviation had flown from Athens, Greece, to Pula in Croatia before heading to Southend. It was due to return to its home base of Lelystad in the Netherlands on Sunday evening.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has started an investigation with inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, human factors, engineering and recorded data already dispatched to the crash site. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has put in place a significant air exclusion zone surrounding the crash site.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to those affected in a message on X: “Terrible news that four people tragically lost their lives in yesterday’s plane crash at Southend Airport. My thoughts are with their families and loved ones.”
London Southend is a relatively small airport, around 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of the British capital, used for short-haul flights. All flights to and from the airport on Monday have been rerouted, with passengers advised to check with their airline for advice.
Zeusch Aviation operates medical evacuation and transplant flights as well as aerial mapping and private charters, according to its website. The company said that “our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the victims, their families, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, first built in the 1970s, is an aviation workhorse used in a wide variety of roles around the world. In 2017, a plane of the same model crashed into the roof of a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia, moments after takeoff, killing the pilot and four American tourists.