On the 31st (local time), a small aircraft with six passengers crashed in a bustling area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This is a major accident that occurred two days after the crash of a passenger plane and helicopter collision in Washington, D.C., which resulted in 67 fatalities. While the exact number of casualties has not yet been confirmed, concerns are growing about multiple casualties due to the crash occurring in an urban area.
According to foreign news outlets such as the Associated Press and CNN, a small private aircraft designed for patient transport, equipped with two engines, took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at around 6:06 p.m., climbed to an altitude of 487 meters, and then disappeared from radar before crashing near a shopping mall in the densely populated northeastern area of Philadelphia. The crash site is reported to be a busy intersection near the 'Roosevelt Mall,' AP reported.
The aircraft involved in the accident is identified as the 'Learjet 55' from 'Jet Rescue,' with six people on board, including a child patient and crew members. This aircraft was heading to Springfield, Missouri.
Immediately after the aircraft crash, giant flames erupted, igniting nearby dwellings and vehicles. Surrounding individuals were captured in video footage released by CNN, screaming and fleeing the scene.
While the exact damage and casualty figures have not yet been identified, there are concerns that substantial human casualties may occur given the accident happened in a busy area with a shopping mall and dwellings. Reuters reported that 'multiple casualties have occurred on the ground.'
Facing the second major aviation accident in the United States within ten days of his inauguration, President Donald Trump noted in a post on social media platform Truth Social that 'many innocent souls have been sacrificed' and expressed that he is 'very saddened.'
On the 29th of last month, a collision occurred between a passenger plane and a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, D.C., resulting in the deaths of all 67 people on board.