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Medical jet with six onboard crashes in Philadelphia

A MEDICAL jet has crashed into multiple buildings in northeast Philadelphia, causing homes and vehicles to go up in flames and injuring people on the ground.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the plane, confirmed in a statement that the aircraft was on a medical mission on the evening of Friday, January 31, and carrying four crew members, a child patient, and the patient’s mum.



During a news conference at the crash site, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro acknowledged that there would likely be casualties, describing the incident as an awful aviation disaster.

Emergency teams quickly arrived at the crash site, where residents gathered on streets with burning debris and aircraft wreckage.




     

     

    Witnesses recounted a chaotic scene as many people were injured and buildings engulfed in flames.

    Spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, Shai Gold, stated that the child aboard the plane was receiving treatment in the US for a life-threatening condition and the crew was on its way back to Tijuana, Mexico.

    The spokesperson confirmed that the child was accompanied by her mother, a pilot, a copilot, a doctor, and a paramedic.

    Gold also said a third-party charity funded the child’s treatment. “She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home,” he said.

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    The Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia issued a notice on X, urging Mexican nationals affected by the crash to call a helpline for assistance.

    Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker stated that officials were uncertain about the number of fatalities, but the city was asking for prayers for anyone and everyone affected.

    The crash occurred just blocks away from Roosevelt Mall, a three-story shopping centre in a densely populated area of Philadelphia, the fifth-largest city in the U.S. The location is surrounded by terraced houses and shops.

    Videos posted online show the plane descending rapidly, followed by a massive fireball.

    Witnesses reported that shrapnel from the crash damaged cars and scattered burning debris across the streets. Photos of the aftermath reveal cars engulfed in flames and severely damaged.

    This comes days after after a passenger plane collided in mid-air with a helicopter near Washington DC on the evening of Wednesday, January 29 2025.

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    Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
    She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org

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