Four Dead in Small Plane Crash Near London Southend Airport

LONDON, July 15— Four people were confirmed dead following a small plane crash at London Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon, UK authorities said.

The Beechcraft B200 aircraft went down at approximately 4:00 p.m. (1500 GMT), shortly after taking off from the airport in Southend-on-Sea, southeast England, en route to the Netherlands.

“Sadly, we can now confirm that all four people on board died,” said Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin of Essex Police during a press briefing on Monday.

While the identities of the victims have not been formally released, Cronin said preliminary findings suggest that all four passengers were foreign nationals.

“We are working to officially confirm their identities. This process is ongoing and being handled with sensitivity,” Cronin added.

Dozens of eyewitnesses are being interviewed, and detectives and forensic teams are actively working at the crash site to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.

“Our priority is to build an accurate picture of what happened,” said Cronin.

The crash site showed the aircraft engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing into the air. Emergency services responded swiftly to contain the blaze.

As a safety precaution, a nearby golf club and rugby club were evacuated shortly after the crash.

London Southend Airport has been closed indefinitely while investigations continue. Authorities have not yet stated when operations will resume.

Located roughly 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of central London, Southend Airport is the sixth-largest airport serving the capital region. It handles both domestic and international flights and is often used for private and small commercial aircraft.

This is one of the most serious aviation incidents in the UK in recent years involving a small private aircraft. Further updates are expected as the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and Essex Police continue their joint investigation.