Philadelphia: A medical transport jet carrying a child patient and five others crashed near a shopping mall in Philadelphia on Friday, igniting a large fire and damaging nearby homes. The crash, which resulted in a massive fireball, has raised fears of casualties, according to reports from AFP.
The plane crashed close to the Roosevelt Mall, and visuals shared on social media showed the intense blaze engulfing several homes. Emergency responders, including firefighters, were on the scene quickly.
US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences, posting on Truth Social, “More innocent souls lost” in this tragic incident. “Our people are totally engaged,” he added.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the medical transport company, confirmed the crash but could not confirm any survivors. In a statement, the company said, “We cannot confirm any survivors. Our immediate concern is for the patient’s family, our personnel, their families, and other victims on the ground.”
The company also stated that all six individuals aboard the jet were from Mexico. The child, who had been receiving treatment in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition, was being transported back to Tijuana, Mexico, when the crash occurred, according to company spokesperson Shai Gold.
The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management confirmed the incident, labeling it a “major incident” but did not provide further details. They urged residents to avoid the area around Cottman and Bustleton Avenues, where roads, including parts of Roosevelt Boulevard, were closed.
Flight data showed the jet took off from the airport at 6:06 PM local time and disappeared from radar about 30 seconds later after climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet. The crash site is located approximately 4.8 kilometers from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.
A local resident told the Associated Press that he heard a loud bang and felt his house shake. “There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second,” he said.
This incident follows another deadly aviation tragedy just days earlier when a passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter near Washington D.C., killing all 64 people aboard the jet and three on the helicopter. That crash, the deadliest in the U.S. in more than two decades, raised concerns about airspace safety, especially with modern collision-avoidance technology on passenger planes.
