A young girl is among six people feared dead after an air ambulance crashed into a residential neighborhood in Pennsylvania. This marks the second aviation tragedy to shake the United States in recent days.
The child, who had been traveling with her mother and four others, was aboard a Learjet 55—a medical transport aircraft—when it crashed into homes in Northeastern Philadelphia. Reports indicate that the girl, a resident of Mexico, had traveled to the U.S. for treatment of a life-threatening medical condition and was on her way home when the disaster occurred.
The jet exploded into a fireball upon impact, engulfing several homes in flames. Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the operator of the flight, later confirmed that there were no survivors among the passengers and crew on board.
Authorities also fear additional casualties and fatalities among residents living along Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, where the crash occurred. Emergency services are currently working tirelessly at the scene, which has been declared a major incident. The investigation is ongoing, with officials describing it as “an active scene.”
Shocked witnesses in the area have been recounting the terrifying moments. Michael Schiavone, 37, described hearing a loud bang and feeling his house shake, likening the experience to a mini-earthquake. After reviewing his home security footage, he said it appeared as though a missile was descending. “There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second,” he said.
This tragic incident comes just two days after another deadly aviation accident in the U.S., when an American Airlines flight carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter transporting three soldiers in Washington, D.C. Sadly, there were no survivors in that crash either.
