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A small aircraft has crashed at London Southend Airport, prompting a major emergency response.
According to Essex Police, they were alerted shortly before 4:00 PM BST on Sunday about a 12-meter-long aircraft that was on fire at the airport in Southend-on-Sea.
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The airport confirmed a “serious incident” had occurred and stated it was working closely with local authorities to manage the situation.
Eyewitness John Johnson, 40, from Billericay, Essex, was at the airport with his family when he saw what he described as a “massive fireball.” Johnson, who had taken his children to watch planes due to their interest in aviation, said they had waved at the pilots before the crash.
He recounted seeing the aircraft turn around for takeoff, accelerate down the runway, and lift off quickly. However, the plane soon banked sharply to the left. “I told my wife that was unusual,” he said. “Planes don’t usually turn at that stage. Moments later, it flipped almost upside down and crashed, creating a huge explosion.” Johnson immediately called emergency services.
The airport has since canceled four scheduled flights and said it will release more details soon.
Essex Police confirmed all emergency services are on-site and will remain there for several hours. They urged the public to avoid the area while operations continue.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, which was called at 3:58 PM, dispatched crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir, Basildon, Billericay, and Chelmsford, including off-road units. Officials said they are continuing to work with emergency and aviation partners at the scene.
Local leaders also responded to the incident. Southend West and Leigh MP David Burton-Sampson expressed his concern on social media, while Southend City Council cabinet member Matt Dent said he was aware of the incident and extended his thoughts to those affected.
