No Casualty Count Confirmed Yet; Investigation Underway

Essex Police confirmed that a 12-metre-long aircraft caught fire shortly after crashing. The emergency services rushed to the site and are now working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch to find out what went wrong.

The plane belonged to Dutch firm Zeusch Aviation, which confirmed that its flight SUZ1 was involved in the accident. The company said the aircraft had flown from Athens, Greece, to Pula, Croatia, before heading to Southend. It was supposed to return to Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands later that evening.

So far, there is no official information about the number of casualties or the condition of those on board. The police are asking the public to use their major incident portal online instead of emergency phone lines, which need to be kept open for urgent cases.

Witnesses Saw Plane Turn, Crash and Explode

People nearby described the crash as terrifying and sudden. One eyewitness, John Johnson, 40, from Billericay, was at the airport with his wife and children when the plane went down. He said his sons love watching planes, and they saw the pilots smiling just before takeoff.

According to Johnson, the aircraft lifted off quickly but started turning left much earlier than usual. "I told my wife that was unusual. Then it almost flipped upside down and crashed," he said. "There was a huge fireball, and we were in shock." Johnson immediately called emergency services to report the crash.

Another witness, James Philpott, a bartender at Rochford Hundred Golf Club, said he felt a strong wave of heat while working in a hut on the golf course. When he looked up, he saw a massive fireball. "People were shocked and some ran toward the crash site to help," he said.

The golf course was partly evacuated because of how close it was to the crash, although people in the clubhouse were allowed to stay as it was farther away.

Nearby, Westcliff Rugby Club also had around 250 people attending an event. Its chairman, Pete Jones, said they were told they didn't have to evacuate. The crash happened about 1,000 metres from the club and people there could see smoke in the air.

Authorities Respond and Investigation Begins

Essex Police have started working with the Air Accident Investigation Branch to understand what caused the crash. Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin said, “At this early stage, it’s vital we gather as much information as possible while also supporting the people of Essex.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander shared a post on social media platform X, saying her thoughts were with everyone affected. She added that she is getting regular updates and advised people to stay away from the area for safety.

Local leaders and members of Parliament also confirmed they had been informed about the tragic event.

Passengers who were supposed to fly from Southend on Monday are being asked to contact their airlines for updates, as the airport remains closed for now.