Plane Crashed Southend Airport: Pilots Wave to Children Seconds Before Fatal Crash

July 14, 2025: Plane Crashed Southend Airport – A small aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from London Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon, sparking a massive emergency response and prompting the airport’s indefinite closure. Authorities have described the situation as a “serious incident.”

According to Essex Police, the crash occurred just before 4:00 PM, with emergency crews rushing to the scene. The aircraft, believed to be a Beech B200 Super King Air, went down minutes after takeoff, crashing near the Rochford Hundred Golf Club and igniting a large fireball visible from nearby areas.

Eyewitness Accounts: Pilots Waved Moments Before Crash

Witnesses described harrowing scenes in the moments leading up to the crash. John Johnson, who was with his family at the airport, said the pilots waved at children on the ground before the aircraft lifted off. Moments later, the plane veered sharply, flipped nearly upside down, and nosedived into the ground, followed by a massive explosion.

“We’re pretty shaken up,” Johnson said. “I just feel sad for the people who were on the plane… our thoughts are with their loved ones.”

Massive Emergency Response at Crash Site

A major response was launched involving:

• Essex Police
• East of England Ambulance Service
• Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
• Essex and Herts Air Ambulance

The crash triggered an immediate lockdown of Southend Airport, with all remaining flights cancelled and passengers evacuated from nearby Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club for safety.

Casualties and Cause: What We Know So Far

Authorities have not yet confirmed how many people were on board or the number of casualties. However, aviation tracking site Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft was a medical transport plane operated by Zeusch Aviation, en route to Lelystad, Netherlands.

Zeusch Aviation confirmed the aircraft—flight SUZ1—was part of its fleet and said it is cooperating with investigators.

Crash Site Secured, Investigation Ongoing

Fire crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir, Basildon, and surrounding areas are still at the scene, working alongside aviation and forensic teams. Authorities have urged the public to stay clear of the area as operations are expected to continue for several hours.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is expected to take over the investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.