The investigations into the airplane crash at London Southend Airport are continuing today and we can confirm three bodies have now been recovered from the crash site.
We’re continuing to work on recovering a fourth body within the next 24 hours.
This is an extremely complex operation which is being carried out sensitively and to give each person the dignity they deserve.
We’re also now able to confirm the flight in question was a medical flight chartered to London Southend Airport for a patient to be transported onward for medical treatment in the UK.
On board the flight when it tragically crashed were the commander and the co-pilot – who are both men – and a nurse, a woman, and a doctor, a man, all of whom died.
We’re working closely with HM Coroner, but we are not yet able to officially confirm their identities until the formal identification process takes place.
All four are foreign nationals and we’re also in contact with their respective embassies.
Support for each of the victims’ families is also in place in their home countries.
We’re continuing to work in parallel with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).
The AAIB work continues on site in support of police victim recovery activities, examination of the wreckage and evidence gathering.
We’re also continuing to appeal to members of the public who either witnessed the crash or have video footage of it to get in touch.
We are also especially interested in footage which has been captured of any small jets – not commercial aircraft – landing at London Southend Airport on Sunday 13 July between 2.15pm and 4pm.
We’ve set up a dedicated public portal which can be accessed here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/4201020125R58-PO1.
It can be used to submit information and footage directly.
Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin said:
“Our response to this incredibly complex incident continues today in parallel with our colleagues at the AAIB.
“Everything we are doing is aimed at finding and preserving the physical and electronic evidence which we hope will help build an accurate picture of what happened.
“The scale of the work being undertaken by many agencies here at London Southend Airport should not be underestimated.
“That work at the scene will continue today and further into the week as we seek to find the answers to what happened here on Sunday afternoon.”