London Southend Airport Closed After Fatal Plane Crash
London Southend Airport remains closed following a deadly plane crash on Sunday, confirmed by Chief Executive Jude Winstanley in a press conference.
At around 16:00 BST, Essex Police were alerted to a small aircraft engulfed in flames at the airport’s northern end. The 12-metre plane, operated by Dutch company Zeusch Aviation, had been on flight SUZ1. The company confirmed the incident and stated they are cooperating with authorities.
The plane had departed Athens, stopped in Pula, Croatia, and was en route to Lelystad, Netherlands, with Southend as a stopover.
Eyewitness John Johnson from Billericay recalled seeing the plane crash “head first into the ground,” turning into a “huge fireball.” He described the aircraft banking sharply to the left shortly after takeoff—an unusual maneuver—before it inverted and crashed.
Emergency services responded swiftly. Fire crews from Southend, Rayleigh Weir, Basildon, and other towns arrived, supported by off-road vehicles. The East of England Ambulance Service dispatched multiple units, including air ambulances and Hazardous Area Response Teams.
Tragically, all four people aboard the aircraft were killed. Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin confirmed the victims were believed to be foreign nationals, though their identities have not yet been released.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash. The airport will remain closed until further notice.
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