Seven killed in Philadelphia medical jet crash

Investigators on Saturday morning could be seen scouring the crash site for evidence, and also searching residential gardens and around parked cars for debris. (Getty Images)

Philadelphia (USA), February 2 — A small medical transport plane crashed into several buildings in the US city of Philadelphia on Friday evening, killing all six people on board and at least one other person on the ground, the mayor has confirmed.

The jet was on a medical transport trip, heading to Tijuana, Mexico, with a short stop-over in Missouri. It was carrying a child patient and her mother, along with two pilots, a doctor and paramedic. They were all Mexican nationals.

But just one minute after take-off, the Learjet 55 plummeted to the ground. Videos show the plane coming down quickly and sparking a huge fireball.

Nineteen others were injured, though Mayor Cherelle Parker said that number could still change.

Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Philadelphia city managing director Adam Thiel said it would probably be "days or more" until officials are able to confirm "the number of folks who perished in this tragedy and the outcome of those who were injured".

He added that there is still "a lot of unknowns about who was where" when the crash happened.

The girl being transported to Mexico had just finished medical treatment for a life-threatening illness at Shriners Children's Hospital in Philadelphia.

Earlier on Friday, staff had thrown her a party to celebrate, hospital spokesman Mel Bower said. He added that staff who treated her had been "impacted very deeply" by news of the tragedy.

The flight was bound for Springfield, Missouri for a short stop-over, before continuing onto Tijuana.

The plane left Northeast Philadelphia Airport at about 18:07 local time (23:07 GMT) on Friday, rose to 1,500ft, turned slightly right, then slightly left, then began a steep descent, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials said.

The crash occurred less than four miles (6.4km) away. Flight logs show the plane was in the air "for only a minute" before it crashed, Mayor Parker said.

No issues were reported from the plane to air traffic control, and controllers who attempted to get a response from the flight crew did not receive one, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said.

Witnesses described shrapnel damaging cars and sending burning debris into the streets. Photos of the aftermath show mangled, burnt-out vehicles and a deep gouge in the street.

Fire officials said there were five separate fires sparked by the crash, but they were contained and extinguished.

The crash happened just blocks from the Roosevelt Mall, a three-storey shopping centre in a densely populated part of Philadelphia, the fifth biggest city in the US.

The area is filled with terraced housing and shops. Many properties lost power after the crash.

One man said he was driving when he heard a whirring sound and then a loud explosion.

"Everyone just started screaming," he said.

Another witness told local media the explosion "lit up the whole sky".

"I just saw a plane basically hit the building and it exploded. The sky lit up and I pulled over and basically, it was just real bad around here," the witness told WPVI-TV, describing the crash as feeling like an earthquake.

Ryan Tian, 23, told the Philadelphia Inquirer he was getting dinner when he saw a "massive fireball" that turned the sky orange.

"I thought we were getting attacked by something," he said.

In a statement, Jared Solomon, a local state representative, said: "In a time of profound tragedy, I was inspired to witness hundreds of our first responders sprinting towards danger to ensure the safety of our neighbourhood."

Mayor Parker said emergency workers had worked through the night at the crash site.

Officials said the wreckage site is large, spanning up to six blocks, and there is also debris in remote areas too.

The mayor told city residents that if they find any debris, to call 911 and "don't touch anything".

NTSB investigators are still looking for the cockpit voice recorder - which is "likely damaged and may be fragmented", Ms Homendy said.

She said investigators would be collecting debris for "several days, possibly extending into weeks".

"I do want to stress this is an active investigation scene. The debris is scattered, it is very dangerous, so I encourage everyone to stay out of the accident site," she said.

The FAA is also investigating.

In a statement, President Donald Trump said his administration was "totally engaged".

"So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost," he said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she "mourns the passing of six Mexicans in the aviation accident", in a statement translated from Spanish.

"My solidarity is with their loved ones and friends," she added.

The Mexican foreign ministry said personnel at the country's consulate in Philadelphia were in contact with next-of-kin.

This crash comes just two days after a much larger collision happened between a commercial jet and a military helicopter in Washington DC, where officials believe all 67 people aboard both aircraft were killed.

It was the deadliest plane crash in the US in more than 20 years.

Ms Homendy said on Saturday her agency was "highly skilled" and it was "not unusual for the NTSB to be investigating two major accidents".