President Donald Trump says it is “so sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia” with “more innocent souls lost”
US, Feb 1: A medevac plane crashed in Philadelphia on Friday with a child and five others on board, the air ambulance company that operated it said, adding that it had not confirmed any survivors.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said its aircraft crashed with four crew members, one paediatric medical patient and the patient’s escort on board.
“At this time we cannot confirm any survivors,” the company said in a statement.
President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it was “so sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job.”
The crash follows this week’s collision of an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., which killed 67 in the deadliest plane crash in the US since 2009.
The Federal Aviation Administration said six people were on the Learjet 55 that crashed around 6.30pm (8.30am Hong Kong time). Local media reported it was near the Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia and that there were multiple injuries on the ground.
Video aired on local TV stations showed the plane in a sharp dive before slamming into the ground in a heavily populated area of northeast Philadelphia and exploding in a massive fireball.
At least one house and multiple cars were on fire, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The weather was cold and rainy and with low visibility at the time of the crash.
The air ambulance had left Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, about 1,100 miles (1,800km) to the southwest, the FAA said in a statement.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker told a press conference at the scene of the crash that she did not have information on the number of victims. The situation was “all hands on deck, that’s where we are right now,” she said.
A large fire and several fire trucks were visible at the crash scene in images broadcast by the Philadelphia CBS affiliate. The station said the status of victims was not immediately known.
About two hours after the crash the fires were mostly out, according to TV images.
The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management said on social media there was a “major incident” in the area of the reported crash but provided no other details.
Neither the Philadelphia police department nor the fire department immediately responded to requests for comment.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro wrote on social media, “We are offering all Commonwealth resources” as first responders worked at the scene of the crash.