Philadelphia plane crash: What we know so far as Learjet air ambulance comes down in huge explosion near mall
Six Mexican nationals have been identified as the victims on board the Learjet 55 aircraft that fell from the sky near Roosevelt Mall last week
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Your support makes all the difference.A medical jet carrying a young girl, her mother and four crew members crashed into a busy residential area of northeast Philadelphia, erupting in a fireball and killing everyone aboard.
The Learjet 55 aircraft plunged from the sky moments after taking off around 6:10 p.m. from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and crashed near the Roosevelt Mall Friday.
The six passengers and crew have been identified. One person who was in a nearby car also died in the crash bringing the death toll to seven.
As of Sunday, 22 people were injured, five of whom were hospitalized – three in critical condition, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with officials finding the plane’s black box eight feet underground at the wreckage site, the National Transportation Safety Board announced Sunday.
The crash happened just two days after a deadly mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane above Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. There were no survivors.
What happened?
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
The plane disappeared from radar less than a minute after taking off and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet. It was reportedly airborne for only about 40 seconds and fell from the sky at around 11,000 feet per minute.
Harrowing footage showed a large mushroom-shaped fireball shooting into the sky upon the plane’s impact, which damaged at least 11 homes and several vehicles.
All six of those on board the flight were Mexican nationals, officials confirmed.
The child, a girl who was being treated at Shriners Children's Philadelphia, was returning to Mexico where she is from. The flight's final destination was to be Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.
Audio from air traffic control, obtained by CNN, reported a “lost aircraft” shortly after takeoff.
The two-engine jet came down in a “high traffic” residential neighborhood in the northeast section of the city, with the explosion captured from multiple angles by cellphones, ring doorbells and dash cams. Eyewitnesses said the sky was “lit up” by the explosion.
The black box from the medical jet was found eight feet underground at the crash site, the NTSB announced Sunday. The device – also known as a cockpit voice recorder – remained in “decent shape,” sources told WPVI. The plane’s enhanced ground proximity warning system, which may contain flight data, was also found, the NTSB said.
Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia Adam Thiel said that there may still be people that have been impacted by the crash that are not known about.
"We are still not sure exactly how many families were displaced," Thiel told CBS News Sunday. "It is possible there are still people who were affected by this event – affected by that crash that we don't know about.”
After initial road closures, the outer lanes of Roosevelt Boulevard have been reopened in both directions, according to a statement from the Philadelphia mayor’s office on Sunday. Cottman Avenue remains closed due to the NTSB’s active investigation into the cause of the crash.
Who was on the air ambulance flight?
There were at least six people on board, including a child who had just completed her treatment for a life-threatening condition, her mother and four others.
A spokesperson for Rescue Air Ambulance, who was operating the flight, disclosed the identities of the travelers to CBS News on Sunday.
They include patient Valentina Murillo, her mother Lizeth Ozuna, captain Alan Perales, his co-pilot Josue Juarez, Dr. Raul Arredondo and paramedic Rodrigo Padilla, who both provided care for the little girl.
Rescue Air Ambulance spokeswoman Shai Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.
"When an incident like this happens, it's shocking and surprising," Gold told The Associated Press. "All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical."
Rescue Air Ambulance, which is registered in the U.S. and Mexico, and describes itself as “Mexico's leading, largest and most experienced air ambulance service,” and reportedly specializes in the transportation of pediatric patients.
Its fleet includes 10 Learjets and one AirBus helicopter. All of the air ambulance jets are equipped with the most modern equipment available for air medical transport.
What has President Donald Trump said?
Following the crash President Donald Trump lamented the loss of “more innocent souls” on Truth Social.
“So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost,” he wrote. “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 president was reportedly briefed by newly confirmed Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, who said he had also spoken to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Duffy said on Monday that he planned to visit the crash site.
In his statement on X, Shapiro said he had spoken with the Philadelphia mayor and local law enforcement, and was offering all Commonwealth resources.
In a press conference later on Friday night, Shapiro hailed “one Philly” and offered his thoughts and prayers for “all those who are grieving.”
“What we’re seeing here is a unified response to an awful aviation disaster,” he said. “But as awful as that awful aviation disaster was, tonight we saw the best of Philly – neighbor helping neighbor.
He added: “We know there will be loss in this region and we want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those who are grieving.”
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Consulate in Philadelphia have contacted the victims’ families.
“I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia,” Pardo said in a social media statement Saturday morning. “My solidarity to their loved ones and friends.”
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