In brief
The aircraft, carrying a child patient and her mother, plummeted just minutes into its flight, causing widespread destruction in a residential area.
A medical transport plane crashed into several buildings shortly after take-off in Philadelphia on Friday evening, leading to the tragic deaths of all six individuals on board, including a child patient and her mother, as well as another person on the ground. The aircraft, identified as a Learjet 55, was en route to Tijuana, Mexico, following a brief stop in Missouri.Witnesses reported seeing the plane plummeting to the ground just moments after leaving Northeast Philadelphia Airport at approximately 18:07 local time (23:07 GMT). Footage captures the moment of the crash, showing a significant fireball erupting on impact. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed that a total of nineteen people were injured, with the figures subject to change.At a news conference, city managing director Adam Thiel indicated that it might take days to ascertain the full scope of the disaster, including the exact number of casualties and those injured. The child was reportedly returning home after receiving treatment for a severe medical condition, and hospital staff had celebrated her recovery with a party earlier that day.Just minutes after take-off, the plane ascended to about 1,500 feet, making abrupt turns before rapidly descending and crashing less than four miles from the airport. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted that there were no reported issues from the aircraft prior to the incident, and attempts to communicate with the crew yielded no response.Residents described the scene as devastating, mentioning shrapnel damaging vehicles and flames engulfing the area. Five separate fires ignited due to the crash, all of which were extinguished by emergency services. The area is densely populated, and numerous homes in the vicinity experienced power outages as a result of the incident.Local officials and first responders worked tirelessly through the night to secure the crash site, which spans several blocks. The NTSB has begun its investigation, seeking the cockpit voice recorder, although it is feared to be damaged. Mayor Parker urged residents to report any debris found in the area and to refrain from touching it.Both President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences, highlighting the tragic nature of the accident and the loss of lives. The Mexican foreign ministry is currently coordinating efforts to support the victims' families. This incident follows a separate aviation disaster just days earlier in Washington D.C., raising concerns about air travel safety.
