A small airplane has crashed at London Southend Airport in Essex.
According to Essex Police, “We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.”
“We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues”, he added.
Flightradar data shows two planes that had been due to land at Southend around the time of the crash were diverted to nearby airports London Gatwick and London Stansted.
The passenger plane is reportedly a Beechcraft King Air B200 that was leaving the airport for Lelystad in the Netherlands.
It is currently not clear whether there were any casualties from the crash.
The number of people on board the plane is also yet to be confirmed.
David Burton-Sampson, the Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on X: “I am aware of an incident at Southend airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved.”
John Johnson, who was at the airport with his children and wife, said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane crashed “head first into the ground”.
He added, “I just feel sad for the people who were on the plane and, of course, their loved ones and their family, our thoughts are with them.”
