A young pediatric patient who had recently undergone life-saving medical treatment in the United States was on the way back home to Mexico when tragedy struck.
The child was aboard a Learjet 55 air ambulance operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which was en route to Tijuana, Mexico, with a planned stop at Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
Shortly after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday night, the aircraft lost control and crashed into a densely populated neighborhood.
The impact resulted in a devastating explosion, claiming the lives of all six people on board. The incident has left a community in shock as authorities investigate the cause of the crash.
With the support of a third-party charity, the young girl had traveled to the United States to receive urgent medical care, giving her a second chance at life. However, her journey home ended in tragedy when the Learjet 55 air ambulance crashed shortly after takeoff in Northeast Philadelphia.
The scene of the disaster was chaotic, as emergency responders rushed to the area near Roosevelt Mall, where thick smoke billowed into the evening sky. The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management quickly declared a “major incident,” urging residents to stay clear while firefighters worked to extinguish the raging flames.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addressed the heartbreaking incident on social media, extending his condolences: “We are offering all resources as emergency services respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly,” he stated. “We’ll continue to provide updates as more information is available.”
This tragedy comes just days after another devastating aviation accident in which a passenger jet collided with a military helicopter near Washington’s Reagan National Airport, resulting in the deaths of 67 people—marking the deadliest air disaster in the U.S. in nearly 25 years.
