Seven confirmed dead after jet crashes into Philadelphia suburb

Philadelphia: At least seven people died when an air ambulance crashed in Philadelphia on Friday, including six Mexicans aboard the plane and one person who was on the ground, officials said on Saturday.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker told a press conference that the person who died on the ground had been in a car at the site of the crash.

“Thus far, our count is that there are 19 injured victims,” Parker said.

First responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia.Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Separately, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on X that she had asked consular officials to support the families of the six Mexican citizens who were on the plane and died when it crashed.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, based in Mexico and licensed to operate in the US, said its aircraft crashed with four crew members, and a child who was on her way home to Mexico with her mother.

The girl had been undergoing life-saving medical treatment at Pennsylvania’s Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, the London Telegraph reported. Nurses had thrown a party to farewell her before she boarded the flight.

The crash came just two days after the deadliest US air disaster in a generation. On Wednesday night, an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided midair with an army helicopter carrying three soldiers over Washington, DC. There were no survivors.

Videos taken by witnesses of the crash showed body parts in the streets and inside nearby homes.

A firefighter told the Philadelphia Inquirer that crews had managed to get everyone out of the burning houses. Firefighters had also put out six to eight car fires.

The Mexican government said all those on the plane were Mexican nationals, CNN reported. The child was a girl on her way home, with a final destination of Tijuana, Shai Gold, who works on corporate strategy with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told CNN.

“We are terribly shocked by this tragic turn of events,” Gold said. “This was a very seasoned crew. We are a leading air ambulance company, we fly 600 to 700 times a year.”

He said the company had invested heavily in maintaining its aircraft to the highest international standards and that the plane that crashed had been in excellent flying condition.

“We really don’t know what happened,” Gold said.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told a press conference at the crash scene that “we know there will be loss in this region.”

“We want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those that are grieving at this moment,” Shapiro said.

Air traffic controllers tried to contact the plane but failed, CNN reported.

“Medevac med service, northeast tower. Medevac med service, northeast tower. Are you on frequency?” CNN reported a controller as saying, before adding a minute later: “We have a lost aircraft.”

Footage from dashcams and security cameras showed the plane plunging in a streak of white and exploding as it hit the ground near a shopping centre and major roadway.

“All we heard was a loud roar and didn’t know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume,” resident Jim Quinn said.

The crash happened less than five kilometres from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily services business jets and charter flights.

The plane, a Learjet 55, quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from the airport at 6.06pm and climbing to an altitude of 1600 feet.

President Donald Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social it was “so sad” to see the crash.

Emergency services on the scene after the Learjet 55 crashed with six people on board. Credit: nna\josh.hohne

“More innocent souls lost,” he said. “Our people are totally engaged.”

The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping centre in the densely populated neighbourhood of Rhawnhurst.

One mobile phone video taken by a witness moments after the plane crashed showed a chaotic scene with debris scattered across the intersection.

A wall of orange glowed just beyond the intersection as a plume of black smoke quickly rose into the sky and sirens blared.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.

AP, Reuters

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