A small plane crashed moments after takeoff, costing four lives and unleashing a terrifying “fireball” that rocked witnesses and nearby communities to their core.
On July 13, 2025, a small plane crashed at Southend Airport, London. There were no survivors.
Passengers outside the terminal at Southend Airport, London, on July 14, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Essex Police responded to the crash immediately, cordoning off the area. The downed plane was a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air operated by Zeusch Aviation.
The plane reportedly crashed shortly after takeoff, during its initial climb. It was en route to Lelystad, in the Netherlands, following a medivac trip from Athens, Greece with a stop in Pula, Croatia.
A Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, on July 13, 2022. | Source: Wikimedia Commons
According to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, four people lost their lives in the tragic crash, including two pilots, a doctor and a nurse.
Ben Guppy, a 34-year-old from Benfleet, England, was at the Holiday Inn bar with his wife Jess and their toddler, watching the planes take off and land.
According to Guppy, the plane reached “probably 50 metres [164 ft] off the runway” before things went awry. “My daughter was pointing at it and then it listed to the left,” recalled Guppy.
“The left wing came down, the ring wing came up, I thought ‘He’s keen to go left as soon as he takes off.’ (…) He’s banking hard left and then the next thing you know, it’s like another handbrake turn,” said Guppy.
“He went left so violently and I thought ‘What is he doing?’ (…) And then he corkscrewed upside down into the floor, the plane was only in the air for seconds. I looked at it and the fireball went up, there was fire and smoke everywhere,” he added.
“Luckily my daughter was facing the other way,” said Guppy. “’I just looked around like ’Am I dreaming?’. I turned to my wife Jess, who had her hands over her face. She was pretty much in tears. She’s still pretty upset about it all.”
Fireball formed at the crash site, seen from the nearby golf course. From a video dated July 13, 2025. | Source: X/SVS News Agency
When the crash took place, Guppy and his family were “about 500 metres [0.31 miles] away on the fifth floor, so it’s not like we could help. We decided to get our daughter out of there.”
Guppy drove home with a lump in his throat and goosebumps. “Everyone was pulled over at the side of the road watching the smoke (…) ‘On my way back I rang the police and told them what I’d seen,” he said.
Video footage taken at the Rochford Hundred Gold Club, which is extremely close to the crash site, showed a group of men running towards a cloud of billowing black smoke.
They appeared to be looking for someone who was standing near the fireball, fearing they’d been caught in the crash.
Men running towards the fire and smoke of the crash site, as seen from the golf course. From a video dated July 13, 2025. | Source: X/svsnewsagency
In another nearby sports club, the Westcliff Rugby Club, a group of children witnessed the smoke during a girls’ football ceremony.
Lauren Dawson, mother of a 12-year-old at the football club, said that the plane crashed behind the treeline. “It looks like the pilot took off, and then had a problem, and came back on himself to try and land back at the airport,” she said.
Smoke billowing from the crash site, as seen from Southend Airport. From a video dated July 13, 2025. | Source: YouTube/MrInfluenceUgReports
According to police, emergency services remain on the scene, which is still cordoned off to the public. Authorities have also set up a major incident hotline and a public portal for the tragic accident.
Back in Southend Airport, many travelers had their flights delayed or canceled outright. The plane’s operator, Zeusch Aviation, confirmed the crash and stated they were cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
Various authorities and elected officials have issued statements after the tragic crash. Essex Police Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin highlighted the importance of investigative efforts to determine what happened and why, saying:
“I fully appreciate the desire for more information in this matter, and we will share as much as we can, when we can (…) But it is vital for all involved that this investigation is carried out thoroughly and correctly, and to do that we will all need time.”
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport of the United Kingdom, told the press that her “thoughts are with all those involved,” and that she is “monitoring the situation closely and receiving regular updates.”
We extend our sincere condolences to the friends and families of the victims.