A small medevac plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Philadelphia on Friday, carrying a child and five others, according to Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the Mexico-based company operating the aircraft. The company stated that it could not confirm any survivors at this time.
The plane had four crew members, a pediatric patient, and the child’s mother on board. All six passengers were Mexican nationals, the Mexican government confirmed. The child, a young girl, was en route to Tijuana with her mother, according to Shai Gold, a corporate strategy representative from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.
Witness footage from the crash site in a densely populated area of Philadelphia showed debris scattered across streets and inside homes. State and local authorities have not yet confirmed any fatalities on the ground.
Governor Josh Shapiro expressed condolences during a press conference at the crash site, stating, “We know there will be loss in this region. Our thoughts and prayers are with those grieving at this moment.”
President Donald Trump also commented on the tragedy via social media, calling it “so sad to see the plane go down… More innocent souls lost.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. near Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia. Local reports indicated multiple injuries on the ground. Video footage showed the plane in a steep dive before it exploded upon impact, igniting several homes and vehicles.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker described the scene as chaotic, saying, “It’s all hands on deck right now.” Fire crews managed to control the flames within a few hours, but the cause of the crash remains unclear. The weather at the time was cold, rainy, and foggy, which may have contributed to the accident.
The plane had departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, approximately 1,100 miles away.
This incident comes just days after a fatal collision between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., which claimed 67 lives—the deadliest U.S. air crash since 2009.