Philadelphia (AFP) – A small jet with six people onboard crashed into a busy Philadelphia suburb Friday, officials said, showering wreckage over a wide area and sparking blazes that caused extensive damage to homes and vehicles. The aircraft, which the Federal Aviation Administration said was a Learjet 55 executive aircraft, crashed around 2330 GMT into the densely populated district of the city, packed with homes, shops, and busy roads. It was bound for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri and had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, the FAA said in a statement confirming that it would investigate along with the National Transportation Safety Board.
“We have no reports on the number of fatalities,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said at the scene, adding, “several dwellings and vehicles were impacted.” Governor Josh Shapiro, who the mayor said was heading to the crash site, stated he was “offering all resources as (emergency services) respond to the small private plane crash.” “We’ll continue to provide updates as more information is available.”
The crash in the city on the US East Coast came just two days after a passenger jet and military helicopter collided off Washington’s Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people in the deadliest US air disaster in almost a quarter century. US President Donald Trump on Friday took to his Truth Social platform to say he was “sad” to see “more souls lost” in the Philadelphia tragedy, praising first responders and adding: “God Bless you all.”
– ‘Major incident’ – The Learjet that crashed was an aircraft used to transport medical patients, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management wrote on X that there was a “major incident” underway and that roads in the vicinity were closed, calling on the public to avoid the area. Dozens of first responders were on the scene outside Roosevelt Mall, a strip mall in Northeast Philadelphia with retailers and food outlets. The police and fire department did not respond to calls for comment.
A major response by the FAA and NTSB was already underway in Washington to probe the cause of the deadly mid-air crash there, with no formal conclusions expected for at least several weeks. Investigators on Thursday found the helicopter’s black box after having already retrieved the cockpit voice and flight data recorder from the Bombardier jet operated by an American Airlines subsidiary. Forty-one victims have been pulled from the frigid Potomac River, and rescuers voiced confidence that the other 26 would be retrieved in the operation to recover the passenger jet. “The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates,” the FAA said, referring to the Philadelphia incident.
© 2024 AFP
