An air ambulance carrying six people crashed near Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia on Friday evening, according to Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the aircraft. The plane, a Learjet, was transporting a pediatric patient and their escort, along with four crew members, when it went down around 6:30 p.m.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance stated that they could not confirm if anyone on board survived. A spokesperson for the company indicated that survival was unlikely. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, speaking at a press conference, said the total number of fatalities remained unclear, noting that the crash impacted several homes and vehicles.
Six people with injuries linked to the incident were transported to Temple University Hospital's Jeanes Campus. Three were in fair condition, while the other three were treated and released, according to a hospital spokesperson. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether these individuals were on the aircraft or on the ground at the time of impact.
The aircraft was en route to Tijuana International Airport in Mexico. The patient, a child, had received life-saving treatment in the U.S. and was returning home with their mother, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance spokesperson Shai Gold said. The flight, funded by an international charity, was meant to conclude with a ground ambulance transport in Tijuana.
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that all six individuals aboard were Mexican nationals. Their consulates are prepared to support the families of the victims. Shriners Children's Philadelphia, the hospital that treated the child, expressed its sorrow in a statement, confirming that one of their pediatric patients and the child's mother were on board.
Footage of the crash shows smoke and flames near the impact site. A home security camera captured an object descending sharply before a fireball appeared behind rooftops.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced on social media that state resources are available to assist in the response.
Rev. Todd Sheridan Yeary, a former FAA air traffic controller, speculated that the incident involved a catastrophic failure shortly after takeoff. He noted that the Learjet model involved is known for reliability and high performance, making the sudden crash highly unusual.
Weather conditions at the time of the crash included a temperature of 49 degrees, light rain, fog, and wind gusts reaching 30 mph, according to National Weather Service data.
This tragedy follows another devastating aviation accident just two days prior. On Wednesday, 67 people lost their lives when a passenger plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided midair over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.
source: NBCNews.com
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