Philadelphia (TDI): A medical jet with six Mexican nationals on board crashed into a busy Philadelphia neighbourhood on Friday, authorities said, marking another US aviation disaster after a passenger aircraft and a military helicopter collided midair in Washington earlier this week.
Video footage appeared to show the twin-engine aircraft descending at a sharp angle towards a residential area, sparking a huge fireball upon impact and showering wreckage over homes and vehicles.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated the plane was a Learjet 55 — an American-French business jet — that had taken off shortly before from Northeast Philadelphia Airport bound for Branson, Missouri.
A young girl who had been in the US for medical care, her mother, and members of the flight and medical staff accompanying her onboard were killed in the crash, AFP reported.
The patient had received care from Shriners Children’s Philadelphia and was being shifted back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened,” according to Mel Bower, a spokesman for Shriners Children’s.
All six of those onboard were Mexican nationals, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Also Read: What to know more about the DC plane crash?
“The airline company confirmed to the consulate that 6 individuals of Mexican nationality were traveling on the aircraft,” the ministry said.
The operator, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, confirmed in a statement to US media that there were 2 passengers and 4 crew, adding, “At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors.”
Dozens of emergency workers reached the scene outside Roosevelt Mall, a strip mall in Northeast Philadelphia with retailers and food outlets.
Also Read: Black Boxes of Korean Plane Stop Recording Before Crash
US President Donald Trump said that he was “sad” to see “more souls lost” in the Philadelphia tragedy.
He appreciated first responders, adding: “God Bless you all.”
