‘Fire In The Sky’: Aircraft Explodes Over UK’s Southend Airport, Golfers Flee As Fireball Engulfs Runway – Watch | World News

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‘Fire In The Sky’: Aircraft Explodes Over UK’s Southend Airport, Golfers Flee As Fireball Engulfs Runway – Watch | World News


London/New Delhi: The stillness at Southend shattered just after 4 pm. A private jet climbed into the sky and then did not make it far. In seconds, the airport’s edge lit up in a blinding explosion.

A ball of fire punched through the clouds. Flames rolled outward. A thick plume of smoke rose behind it. People ducked. Some froze. Others ran.

“I heard this loud, terrifying boom and looked up. A massive fireball just burst out. We did not know if it was a terrorist attack or a fuel explosion. It was that loud,” said James Reynolds, who had been parking near the Westcliff Rugby Club with his daughter.

Believed by aviation spotters to be a Beech B200 Super King Air, the aircraft had barely left the ground when it plunged and exploded. The flight was scheduled to depart for Lelystad, Netherlands.

There was no official confirmation on the number of people on board. Authorities did not disclose casualties.

“We were alerted shortly before 4 pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane. We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport. We are working with all emergency services, and this work will continue for several hours,” Essex Police said in a formal statement.

From inside the terminal, passengers watched in stunned silence.

“People just gasped. You could hear someone whisper, ‘That plane did not make it.’ Then the alarms went off,” said one eyewitness who was waiting to board a domestic flight.

Emergency crews swarmed the crash zone.

The East of England Ambulance Service rushed in with full force – four ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, three senior paramedic cars, four Hazardous Area Response Team units and a helicopter from Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.

Video clips posted online showed the fireball erupting, followed by thick columns of black smoke that climbed into the sky. Social media flooded with raw footage and unconfirmed chatter.

One post read, “Following reports of a plane crash at London Southend Airport, likely this Super King Air. Updates when possible.”

Local MP David Burton-Sampson confirmed the unfolding crisis, “I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved.”

With the wreckage dangerously close to public areas, the police ordered immediate evacuations. Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Westcliff Rugby Club – both within shouting distance of the runway – were emptied out.

“We were told to grab our things and move out. No one argued. The smoke was too close,” said Rosie Hammond, who had just finished a match.

Southend Airport’s departures board turned red. Four outgoing flights were cancelled. Two incoming aircraft were diverted – one to Gatwick and the other to Stansted.

“There was a surreal silence in the terminal. After the explosion, everything just stopped,” said a staff worker.

Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the crash. Aviation analysts cited the weather as clear, but investigations were still ongoing.

The site remains cordoned off. Search and fire units continue operations deep into the evening. The runway, now scorched and empty, sits under heavy patrol. Above it, the smell of smoke still lingers. 





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