Witnesses describe the aircraft leaning to the left shortly after takeoff before crashing

London Southend airport has been closed and flights cancelled after a small plane crashed into a fireball shortly after takeoff.

The Beechcraft B200 aircraft crashed about 4pm on Sunday, soon after taking off from the airport, which is in Essex. The plane was seen in flames with dark smoke billowing from it, according to witnesses and photos circulating on social media.

A statement from Essex police said: “We were alerted shortly before 4pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane. 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.”

The aircraft, operated by Zeusch Aviation, was equipped with medical systems for transporting patients. The Dutch company specialises in medical evacuations and transplant flights and also runs private charters.

The airline confirmed that its flight SUZ1 had been involved in an accident.

“We are actively supporting the authorities with the investigation and will provide updates on this page as more information becomes available,” the airline said.

“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.”

The cause of the crash is not yet known and it is unclear how many people were onboard, whether the flight from Southend was a medical evacuation or whether any patient was onboard.

According to the flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the plane took off at 3.48pm and was bound for Lelystad, a city in the Netherlands.

John Johnson from Billericay was at Southend airport with his family at the time of the crash. . He told PA Media: “We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us. The aircraft then turned 180 degrees to face its takeoff departure, powered up, rolled down the runway.

“It took off and about three or four seconds after taking off it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed just headfirst into the ground.

“There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. All the kids saw it and the families saw it.”

Essex County fire and rescue service said four crews along with off-road vehicles had attended the incident, while the East of England ambulance service said four ambulances and four hazardous area response team vehicles were at the scene, in addition to an air ambulance.

ESN Report wrote on X: “Just witnessed a Beechcraft crash on takeoff at Southend airport about 40 minutes after a Cessna also left the runway. Thoughts are with those on the aircraft. Absolutely tragic. Was waving to the aircrew just moments before.”

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.”

Police said they had evacuated the Rochford Hundred golf club as a precaution because of its proximity to the incident.

After announcing flights had been grounded on Sunday, London Southend airport said in a statement that passengers due to travel on Monday should“contact their airline for information and advice”.

“We will restart flight operations as soon as possible and will continue to update the public on developments,” the statement said.

EasyJet earlier said all of its flights to and from Southend had been “diverted to alternative airports or are no longer able to operate”.