Small plane crashes at London’s Southend Airport

A small plane crashed at London Southend Airport, police say.

In a statement, Essex Police say it was alerted just before 4 p.m. local time to the “serious incident” at the relatively small airport, which is around 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of the capital.

Images posted on social media show a plume of fire and black smoke emanating from the crash site. The plane involved is said to be 12 meters (39 feet) long.

BREAKING: Business jet crashes at London Southend Airport, no word on casualties https://t.co/bWgUMnFAhr

— BNO News (@BNONews) July 13, 2025

No details on where the plane was heading or how many people were on board were immediately disclosed.

“We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours,” Essex Police say.

The local member of parliament, David Burton-Sampson, urges people to stay away and let the emergency services do their work.

“My thoughts are with everyone involved,” he says.