‘Horrific’: Plane carrying sick child crashes near US shopping centre, reports of multiple casualties

A medical plane carrying six people, including a sick child who had just undergone “lifesaving treatment”, has crashed in the US, sparking a massive explosion.

A medical plane carrying a sick child who had just undergone “lifesaving treatment” has crashed near a US shopping centre, sparking a massive explosion.

The medevac jet was carrying six people when it crashed in Philadelphia after 6pm on Friday local time, (Saturday AEDT), after departing Northeast Philadelphia Airport to travel to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

On board the doomed flight was the female pediatric patient and her mother, who were on their way back home to Mexico, as well as a pilot, a co-pilot, a doctor and a paramedic, Shai Gold, a spoksperon from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told NBC 10 Philadelphia.

“All I can say is, the patient was sponsored by a third-partner charity to undergo lifesaving treatment in the US,” Gold told the outlet, adding, “She did her course of care. She was going home.”

“She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately this tragedy (happened) on the way home.”

The plane crashed at 6.30pm on Friday. Picture @YEMUSKTRUMP

It had just taken from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Picture: X@YEMUSKTRUMP

The girl was a patient of Shriners Children’s Philadelphia, the hospital confirmed to NBC 10.

“Shriners Children’s is heartbroken to confirm that one of our pediatric patients and the child’s mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia this evening,” the facility said in a statement.

“The patient had received care from Shriners Children’s Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened. Because of patient privacy concerns, we cannot say any more about the patient and her family at this time.”

Emergency responders after a small aircraft crashed in a neighbourhood in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 31, 2025. Picture: @lika_3639 / AFP

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said in an earlier statement it could not confirm any survivors of the incident.

Footage shared on social media shows a large fireball erupting in the sky and debris sprawled across the car park of the Roosevelt Mall as local police and fire responded to the scene.

“It was just horrific,” one eyewitness told WPVI.
“I was just driving down the street, coming to Wendy’s and I just saw a plane basically hit the building and it exploded. The sky light up and I pulled over and basically it was just real bad around here. It lit up the whole sky.”

Footage shows a large fireball erupting into the sky. Picture: X@inaya_bisma

One witness described the scene as “horrific”. Picture: X@inaya_bisma

Reports of “mass casualties”

Multiple casualties on the ground have been reported, however, the exact number is yet to be confirmed.

Philadelphia City Council member Mike Driscoll said the crash was an “active emergency response situation” with “reported mass casualties”.

“My heart is so heavy as we continue to learn more about this tragic plane crash in Northeast Philly. We are in direct communication with our emergency response teams to monitor the ongoing impacts to the immediate and surrounding area,” he said in a statement.

At least six people on the ground were injured and taken to Temple University Hospital’s Jeanes Campus. Three have been released and three others remain hospitalised, a source told NBC 10.

Fire officials said multiple homes in the area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, about 5km from the airport, were on fire following the crash. Parts of the plane are also believed to have hit cars in the area, police sources told CBS News.

Fire officials said multiple homes were set alight. Picture: AP/Matt Rourke

It remains unclear what led to the crash but Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he is in communication with first responders at the scene.

“We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly,” he said in a post on X.

“We’ll continue to provide updates as more information is available.”

President Donald Trump responded to the incident on Truth Social, writing it is “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. More to follow. God Bless you all.”

The US’ Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

The crash sparked a large fire in a built-up neighbourhood of Philadelphia on January 31, 2025. Picture: Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management / AFP

Emergency service members respond to the plane crash. Picture: Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images/AFP

The incident comes days after an American Airlines plane collided with a US Army Black Hawk, in the worst US air disaster since 2001.

Flight AA5342 was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at about 9pm (1pm Thursday AEDT) when tragedy struck.

The passenger plane had 64 passengers and crew on board while the Black Hawk (H-60) had three.

President Trump confirmed on Thursday there were no survivors, with at least 40 bodies so far recovered.

– With the New York Post

Originally published as ‘Horrific’: Plane carrying sick child crashes near US shopping centre, reports of multiple casualties