Mother and child among six killed in Philadelphia medical jet crash

A medical transport plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia has tragically resulted in the loss of six lives, including a mother and her child. The Learjet 55, on a mission to transport patients, crashed into several buildings in the area, causing significant damages and injuries on the ground. The victims on board were all Mexican, according to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the plane was en route to Springfield, Missouri.

The small plane crashed on Friday evening, leaving a trail of destruction and causing severe injuries to people in the vicinity. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker stated that the flight logs indicate that the plane was airborne for only a minute before the crash occurred. The entire incident was captured in videos circulating online, showing the plane descending rapidly and resulting in a massive fireball upon impact.

The plane had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at around 18:07 local time and met with the fatal accident less than four miles away, moments later. The first emergency calls were made at approximately 18:12, reporting the incident. The aftermath of the crash was horrific, with shrapnel damaging cars and heated debris burning in the streets. Fire officials reported multiple homes catching fire in the vicinity of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

According to witnesses, the impact of the crash was so intense that it felt like an earthquake. One witness recounted hearing a whirring sound followed by a loud explosion. Others described the moment of the crash as an intense light that lit up the sky. The crash occurred not far from the Roosevelt Mall, a three-story shopping center situated in a densely populated part of Philadelphia, the fifth-largest city in the US.

Among the victims was a girl from Tijuana, Mexico, who had been receiving treatment at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia. Hospital spokesperson, Mel Bower, confirmed this news, stating that the girl had completed her treatment and was on her way home with her mother. Two doctors from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance were also on board at the time of the crash.

The Mexican foreign ministry has confirmed that personnel at the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia are in contact with the relatives of the victims. Mayor Cherelle Parker urged city residents to report any debris they encounter from the crash to 911 and refrain from touching it, while Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the incident as an “awful aviation disaster” during a news conference at the crash site.

What do we know about the crash?

According to FlightAware, a flight tracking website, the plane was operated by Med Jets and had arrived in Philadelphia from Florida less than four hours before the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the incident. The crash comes just two days after a much larger collision between a commercial jet and a military helicopter in Washington DC, which is believed to have killed all 67 people onboard. It was the deadliest plane crash in the US in over 20 years.