A witness who was at the airport with his family said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane “crashed head first into the ground.”

LONDON (AP) — Emergency services raced Sunday to the scene of a small plane crash at London Southend Airport. No details on where the plane was heading or how many people were on board were immediately disclosed. In a statement on social media, the airport confirmed a “serious incident” involving what it termed a general aviation aircraft.

A plume of black smoke rises from an area near the runway after a small plane crash, as seen from inside a building at London Southend Airport, in Southend, Britain, July 13, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. @agussromagnoli via X/via REUTERS