4 killed after plane crashed at London airport shortly after takeoff

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which investigates civil aircraft accidents, said it was "too early" to determine what caused the crash.

In Short

• Beechcraft B200 bound for Netherlands crashed after takeoff
• Southend Airport closed indefinitely, says CEO Jude Winstanley
• Investigation ongoing, Air Accidents Branch deployed eight inspectors

At least four people died after a small plane crashed at London Southend Airport on Sunday moments after takeoff, news agency Reuters reported on Monday, quoting British police.

"The US-built Beechcraft B200 Super King Air plane had been bound for the Netherlands, when it got into difficulty and crashed within the airport boundary," Essex Police Detective Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin said.

The airport's CEO, Jude Winstanley, said on Monday that Southend Airport, about 35 miles east of London, will remain closed till further orders.

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which investigates civil aircraft accidents, said it was "too early" to determine what caused the crash. At least eight inspectors have been deployed at the site.

On Sunday, at around 4 pm local time, the aircraft crashed at Southend Airport, triggering a large-scale emergency response and flight cancellations.

Essex Police said it was alerted shortly before 4 pm (BST) to reports of a 12-metre general aviation plane on fire at the site in Southend-on-Sea.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service also responded, with crews from Southend (two), Rayleigh Weir, and Basildon (two), along with off-road vehicles from Billericay and Chelmsford.

The crash led to the cancellation of at least four scheduled flights on Sunday afternoon, according to the airport's website.

Images shared by British media outlets appeared to show a fireball rising into the air above the airport.

- Ends
With agency inputs