Fourth body yet to be recovered from the wreckage of Southend plane crash, say police
Police are yet to recover the final body from a plane crash at Southend which killed four people.
Essex Police said that three bodies have already been recovered and that they were still working on removing the fourth on Tuesday.
Officers believe it will be removed within the next 24 hours.
On board were two pilots, a nurse, named by friends as Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz, and a male doctor.
The plane, bound for the Netherlands, crashed at around 3.48pm after taking off at Southend Airport.
Police have confirmed that it was a medical flight chartered to Southend Airport so that a patient could be dropped off for medical treatment in the UK.
They have also confirmed that all four people aboard the plane were killed in the crash.
"This is an extremely complex operation which is being carried out sensitively and to give each person the dignity they deserve," said a spokesman.
"On board the flight when it tragically crashed were the commander and the co-pilot - who are both men – and a nurse, a woman, and a doctor, a man, all of whom died.
"We’re working closely with HM Coroner, but we are not yet able to officially confirm their identities until the formal identification process takes place."
Det Ch Supt Morgan Cronin said: “Our response to this incredibly complex incident continues today in parallel with our colleagues at the AAIB [Air Accidents Investigation Branch].
“Everything we are doing is aimed at finding and preserving the physical and electronic evidence which we hope will help build an accurate picture of what happened.
“The scale of the work being undertaken by many agencies here at London Southend Airport should not be underestimated.
“That work at the scene will continue today and further into the week as we seek to find the answers to what happened here on Sunday afternoon.”
Witnesses of the accident said they saw a "fireball", while images of fire and black smoke were shared on social media.
Lisa Fitzsimons of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it was "too early to speculate” on what may have caused the crash. The airport remained closed on Tuesday and a spokesman said it would until further notice.
A spokesperson said: “Passengers should contact their airline for information and advice.
“The friends and families of those lost on Sunday are at the forefront of our minds.
"Our team continues to work closely with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch to support their work. We would like to thank our passengers and local community for their understanding during this time.”
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