Medevac flight transporting pediatric patient crashes, explodes near homes in Philadelphia
A Learjet 55 carrying a young girl who had just undergone life-saving treatment crashed on Friday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company operating the flight could not confirm the identities or ages of anyone onboard until family is notified, but said it is unlikely there are survivors.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Following the tragic Philadelphia and D.C. plane crashes this week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy on Saturday announced the department will no longer be participating in identity-based celebrations.
Duffy posted a statement on X saying that as of 8 p.m. Saturday, the Department of Transportation will no longer participate in celebrations "based on immutable traits or any other identity-based observances."
"In the wake of two devastating plane crashes, my focus is singular: enforcing the highest standards of safety and accountability," Duffy wrote in the post.
"These distractions do nothing to keep planes in the air, trains on the tracks, or ports and highways secure," he wrote. "... From now on, everyday of every month we celebrate transportation, beautiful infrastructure, and safety."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during a news conference on Saturday reassured the public it is able to investigate the Philadelphia medevac crash and the D.C. plane crash concurrently.
NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said she was sure she would get questions about having two major accident investigations at one time.
“We are a highly skilled agency,” Homendy said. “It is not unusual for the NTSB to be investigating two major accidents. We have tremendous resources at both and we will get to our findings, our probable cause, our recommendations, and to a final investigative report.”
Earlier Saturday, Duffy said he spoke with Gov. Josh Shapiro and would provide “whatever resources he needs.”
Lisa Deeley, vice chair of the Philadelphia Commission, posted to X saying she has “no words” for the devastation in her community, following the tragic medevac plane crash Friday night.
“The last 21 hours have been just a surge of emotions,” Deeley wrote in the post. “A tragic plane crash occurred half a mile from the home where I grew up, lived in for over 50 years, and where I am still an active member of the community.”
Deeley said there are no words to express how troubling the videos and images coming out of her neighborhood have been.
“An office building where I worked for 10 years appears to have been damaged,” she wrote. “I saw debris in the parking lot of the mall where I hung out as a teenager. I can say that you see these things on TV, but it is totally different when it is in your own backyard.”
On Saturday morning, Deeley offered her condolences to Consul General Carlos Obrador, for the loss of his country's citizens.
She said she continues to pray for the victims on the ground, and thanked local officials for their efforts.
“Please stay in your homes and avoid the site of the accident,” she Deeley wrote. “Please be patient, as there will be disruptions for a while, but the city, state, and federal governments are all working together to respond and investigate this tragedy.”
Investigators work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia, Saturday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
While city officials have only confirmed 19 injuries resulting from the medevac crash Friday night in Philadelphia, local hospitals have released statements indicating the number is likely higher.
Jefferson Health on Saturday confirmed it provided care for 15 victims.
Of those treated, 12 were discharged and two have been admitted, according to Jefferson Health. One patient was transferred to another hospital.
Fox News Digital previously reported that six victims were treated and released from Temple Health Saturday morning.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the devastating medevac plane crash in Philadelphia Friday night, announced it is searching for the aircraft’s black box — still missing among a scattered debris field.
During a news conference Saturday afternoon, the NTSB said the flight originated in Opa-Locka, Florida, and arrived at Northeast Philadelphia Airport at about 2:15 p.m.
The plane remained on the ground for a few hours before departing runway two after sunset, at about 6:06 p.m., and climbed to about 1,500 feet.
“We were looking at GPS data on the aircraft,” said NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy. “[The plane made] a slight right turn, followed by a slight left turn, and then a steep descent toward the ground, where it crashed. The flight lasted less than a minute.”
Homendy noted the right and left turns right before the crash “[don’t] really suggest anything right now.”
The crash is still classified as an accident.
Crews have found the two engines and are searching for the cockpit voice recorder, which might provide more information.
However, the debris field extends four to five blocks and could take days to weeks to collect, according to the NTSB. Once picked up, crews will move debris to a secure location for evaluation.
The NTSB said it is likely the black box is very damaged.
“I want to stress this was a high impact crash, and the plane is highly fragmented,” Homendy said. “[The black box] could be intact, but likely it is very damaged. It may be fragmented.”
NTSB investigators arrived at the scene within 90 minutes of the crash, and a full “Go Team” was deployed Saturday morning — with a total of 17 people with specific expertise in areas of aviation safety.
Anyone who finds debris, even if it is not recognizable, should email the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov. Videos can also be sent to the same address to aid investigators.
An official with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance recently confirmed the medevac plane did a “nosedive” before crashing into a Philadelphia street, killing seven and injuring 19 Friday night.
Shai Gold, Air Ambulance managing director, described the incident as “unusual,” ABC 6 news reported.
“It's a very unusual situation, where immediately after takeoff, the plane [did a] nosedive,” Gold said Saturday. “Very unusual.”
While the company said it does not yet know the cause of the crash, it noted the airplane’s maintenance records were “impeccable” and it goes “by the book.”
“I don't want to speculate,” Gold said. “The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will come and investigate everything and we’ll just have to sit patiently and wait for them.”
The company said it will cooperate fully with the investigating agency.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico announced it has been in contact with the families of those killed in the medevac plane crash in Philadelphia.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico said it was directed by Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to make contact through the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia.
“There has been excellent coordination and collaboration with the ground teams of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, the City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, and other institutions involved in the research efforts,” according to the post.
The ministry of foreign affairs said it “reiterates its solidarity and condolences to the families of the victims.”
Officials with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company that owned the medevac plane, said they have been in contact with the consulate.
Investigators work the scene where a small plane crashed in Philadelphia, Saturday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Red Cross Philadelphia on Saturday confirmed four people were displaced after a medevac plane carrying a child, her mother, and four crew members crashed on a street near Roosevelt Mall Friday night.
Seven people are dead, and at least 19 were injured, as of Saturday afternoon.
The leakage of jet fuel from the wreck caused a number of nearby homes and cars to catch fire.
In a post on X, Red Cross Philadelphia confirmed a number of people were displaced following the subsequent infernos.
“In partnership with [City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management], Red Cross volunteers opened a shelter at Fels HS where four people spent Friday night,” according to the post.
While acknowledging the outpouring of support from the community, the organization noted no donations should be brought to the shelter.
“We understand people want to help and appreciate the support,” officials wrote. “Right now, the Red Cross has what it needs to support the community. We ask that you not bring material donations such as clothing or food to the shelter. We're working to identify partners to handle donations.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker hold news conference Saturday after assessing the site a day after a medevac plane operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed soon after takeoff in Philadelphia. (Reuters/Bastiaan Slabbers)
Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said the fire department completely extinguished five fires that broke out after a medical jet crashed near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia.
Fire marshals remain on the scene and are investigating those dwellings looking for anyone who may be injured or in need of rescue.
"This is a very large area with a lot of damage, and we are still working in a number of different ways to assess that damage," said Adam Thiel, managing director for the City of Philadelphia. "Right now, we are doing another, what we call a grid search of this entire roughly 4 to 6 block area, a very dense area to ensure that we have found everything that we need to find, that we have checked it, as you heard the mayor say, with all of the residents and we will continue to do that. We have teams who are going literally house by house, door to door and also our licensing inspections. personnel are inspecting all of those dwellings."
Thiel added it is "entirely possible" that the casualty numbers may increase as the investigation continues.
"We have a lot of unknowns about who was where on the streets of this neighborhood last night at the time of impact, so it will likely be days or more until we are able to definitively answer the question about the number of folks who perished in this tragedy and the outcome for those who are injured."
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker speaks during a news conference following a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker urged all Americans to pray for Philadelphia in the aftermath of the tragic plane crash which claimed seven lives.
"I happened to be a praying mayor and I know that prayer works. And if you...the most powerful thing that you can do if your home right now, if you're anywhere across the nation or in the Commonwealth or the city and you're saying, what can I do to help? Offer a prayer for our city, now is the time that we need it," Parker said at a news conference on Saturday.
The mayor also said the city will make "formal, actionable" means available for people to assist, but she stressed that no donations are needed at this time.
Parker also warned people not to fall for fundraising scams, saying "nothing has been established on social media" to raise money for the city or for the victims of the plane crash.
"We ask you to proceed with caution. I would stay away from it if I were you," she said.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed Saturday that six individuals on board a medical ambulance jet that crashed at Roosevelt Mall all perished.
Additionally, at least one more person who was in a car died when the plane crashed.
The mayor also confirmed that at least 19 individuals were injured, but that number "is not etched in stone."
"The investigation is ongoing. Investigators are pouring over the crash site right now further updates will be provided as soon as they are available. But I want to be clear that we will find a cause for this tragedy," Parker said.
Utility companies are working to restore service interruption caused by the plane crash, the mayor added.
"We are encouraging as many people as possible in the area to stay home if you can, because this is an active investigation. However, I do want to note that we have, members of our police and fire and Office of Emergency Management on all of our blocks. No Philadelphian who is in the impacted area should have a problem moving to and from their home if necessary and they have to leave."
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he's received an update from the National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the Philadelphia plane crash on Saturday morning.
"I reiterated that they will have the full support of @USDOT as they seek answers. I will continue to share updates as I receive them," Duffy posted on X.
NTSB has deployed investigators to the crash site in Philadelphia after a Learjet 55 airplane carrying four crew members and two passengers, a pediatric patient and their caregiver, crashed in a fiery explosion. All aboard were Mexican nationals and none survived.
Roosevelt Mall, where the plane crashed, remains closed at the request of authorities, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Kristen Moore, a spokesperson for the Mall said there has not yet been a full property assessment, "but it did not seem like there was significant damage."
She said there were no injuries on the mall's property. Even so, it will remain closed until further notice.
"It's horrible," Moore told the Inquirer. "I feel terrible for the victims and families."
Six patients who were injured when a medical ambulance plane crashed in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday were treated and released Saturday morning, a spokesman for Temple Health said.
Three of the patients treated at Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus were in fair condition. All have been treated and released at this campus.
There remains one patient at Temple University Hospital – Main Campus in fair condition, the spokesperson said.
Officials have not yet confirmed the total number of people injured when the private medical jet crashed in the area of Roosevelt Mall Friday.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a medical flight company, said in a statement that four crew members and two passengers, a pediatric patient and their mother, were on the plane. All six were Mexican nationals and they all died in the crash, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Shriners Children's Hospital in Philadelphia said it was "heartbroken" to confirm that one of its patients was aboard the doomed flight.
An aerial view of the plane crash site in Philadelphia shows a large debris field and workers investigating the wreckage.
Witnesses described a massive fireball where a Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed while departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at around 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
There were four crew members and two passengers – a pediatric patient and the child's mother – on the plane when it went down. All were Mexican nationals, officials said.
Air Ambulance spokesperson Shai Gold told Fox News Digital the patient was a Mexican national who was in the U.S. for life-saving medical treatment. At the end of treatment, she was released to go home.
The plane was scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Tijuana International Airport, with one technical stop in Springfield, Missouri for fuel, according to Gold.
The FAA confirmed the plane was on its way to Missouri at the time of the crash.
Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch, Lorraine Taylor, Alexis McAdams, and CB Cotton contributed to this update.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JANUARY 29, 2025: Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico talks about energy issues during a briefing conference at National Palace. on January 29, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo credit should read Carlos Santiago/ Pixelnews/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the deaths of six of the country's nationals in the medical transportation jet crash that happened in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday.
"I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, United States," Sheinbaum wrote on X.
The president said the Mexican consulate is in permanent contact with the families of those deceased.
"My solidarity with their loved ones and friends," she wrote.
Sheinbaum said she has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support the families "in whatever way is required."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke out about the tragedy earlier.
"@ConsulmexFila personnel are in contact with relatives and will provide all the required consular support and assistance, and will be on the lookout in case there are more compatriots affected in the vicinity of the accident," the ministry said.
In a briefing Friday night, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said there was not yet an official count of how many people were injured or killed when the medical jet crashed in a fiery explosion.
A medical transport jet headed for Missouri and carrying a child patient and five others crashed in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night.
The jet was part of the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which provides global ambulance flight services.
It's the same service that once helped transport Boston Red Sox legend and MLB Hall of Famer David Ortiz with a critical injury after he was shot in his home country of the Dominican Republic June 9, 2019, at a bar in Santo Domingo.
Ortiz was severely wounded but survived emergency surgery.
A portion of Ortiz's intestines, colon and gallbladder were removed, and he also reportedly had liver damage. The next day, a Jet Rescue plane transported Ortiz to Boston, where he received further treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital, including a second surgery.
Ortiz was moved out of the intensive care unit on June 22, 2019, and he was released from the hospital over a month later on July 26, 2019.
The suspected shooter was later identified as Rolfi Ferreira-Cruz, but an investigation also found Ortiz was not the intended target. The Dominican Attorney General announced June 19, 2019, Ortiz was shot by mistake, and Sixto David Fernandez was identified as the intended target of the shooting.
The Philadelphia Eagles will have plenty more to play for when they take the field in Super Bowl LIX next Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After an air ambulance carrying six people crashed in Northern Philadelphia Friday night, causing a massive explosion that has killed an unconfirmed number of people, the Eagles released a statement expressing condolences for its impacted Philadelphia residents and the victims on board the flight.
"The Eagles organization was heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss of life earlier this evening as a result of the plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia," the team said. "We extend our condolences to the victims and loved ones they leave behind. We are grateful to the first responders for their heroic actions at the scene."
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the global ambulance flight company operating the plane, said its Learjet 55 crashed while departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at about 6:30 p.m.
The plane was scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Tijuana International Airport, with one technical stop in Springfield, Missouri for fuel, Air Ambulance spokesperson Shai Gold told Fox News Digital.
A senior Philadelphia fire official told Fox News the fires that were sparked by the crash are "now under control."
Shriners Children's Philadelphia released a statement Friday confirming that a young patient and the child's mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia.
"The patient had received care from Shriners Children's Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened," the statement read. "Because of patient privacy concerns, we cannot say any more about the patient and her family at this time.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event – as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground – and we're thankful to the first responders for their quick action."
Everyone aboard the flight was from Mexico. The child was being transported home, according to Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold. The flight’s final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.
The patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members. Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.
The Associated Press contributed to this update.
Video shared by witnesses shows the moments after a Learjet 55 medical ambulance plane crashed near the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, Penn.
"You just hear everybody say, 'get down! Get down! Get Down!' And when everybody said, get down, we all get down. But I just see the plane is getting lower and lower," one witness told Fox News.
He described hearing a large boom when the plane crashed into the plaza, sending debris and jet fuel scattering everywhere.
"I never seen nothing like that a day in my life. I have never seen nothing like that," the witness said.
Authorities have urged people to stay away from the crash site, where highly flammable jet fuel sprayed onto nearby row homes, which went up in flames.
"It was a big ball of fire," another witness told Fox News. "Just flew into the sky. And the whole gas station started shaking."
Audio from an air traffic control tower at Northeast Philadelphia Airport reveals the horrific moments before a medical ambulance plane crashed in Philadelphia Friday night while transporting a pediatric patient.
The audio, obtained by Fox News Digital, was recorded moments before the plane took off. Operators can be heard speaking as they desperately tried to make contact with the Learjet 55 before it crashed.
"What’s going on down there?" one air traffic controller can be heard saying.
"We have a lost aircraft. We’re not exactly sure what happened. So, we’re trying to figure it out," replies another air traffic controller. "The field is going to be closed so no inbounds-outbounds."
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the plane, said the aircraft was a Learjet 55 while departing from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport around 6:30 p.m.
The company said there were four crew members and two passengers on the plane at the time – a pilot, copilot, physician, paramedic, pediatric patient and her mother. They were all Mexican nationals.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there were six people on the plane. The agency said the plane was heading to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
Air Ambulance spokesperson Shai Gold told Fox News Digital the patient was a Mexican national who was in the U.S. for life-saving medical treatment. At the end of treatment, she was released to go home.
Smoke rises as emergency personnel operate at the site of a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday.
The company operating the medical ambulance jet that crashed on Friday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while transporting a pediatric patient was operating another aircraft in a fatal crash that happened more than a year ago.
On Friday, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the planes in both incidents, said a Learjet 55 crashed while departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport around 6:30 p.m. The incident happened on a street near Roosevelt Mall.
Four crew members and two passengers – a pediatric patient and her mother – were on the plane in the Philadelphia crash that was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the company said. They were all Mexican nationals.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the number of crew members and passengers. The crew members included a pilot, a copilot, a physician and a paramedic.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance operated a Learjet 35A in November 2023 that was involved in a deadly crash in southern Mexico.
In that incident, the aircraft crashed on landing at Cuernavaca Airport in Morelos, Mexico, on Nov. 1, 2023, after departing from Toluca International Airport in the city of Toluca. There were five crewmembers with no passengers on board and no survivors, the AirMed&Rescue website reported at the time.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said no names in the Philadelphia crash on Friday will be released until family members have been notified.
"Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground," the company said in a statement.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker at a press conference Friday night said she was unable to confirm the number of fatalities and asked for prayers.
"We know there will be loss in this region," Parker said.
Earlier, she advised locals not to touch anything and call 911 if they come across debris.
A medical oxygen tank donning the name of the transport company was seen on the ground outside a McDonald's near the scene of the crash. A police commander told FOX 29's Steve Keeley that there were "pieces everywhere."
The City of Philadelphia posted on X, calling the incident "major."
"Major incident near Cottman and Bustleton Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia across from Roosevelt Mall," according to the post. "Roads closed in area including parts of Roosevelt Boulevard. Avoid area."
City officials confirmed 45 state troopers are on the ground assisting.
A video shows the plane loudly crashing in the distance, with a burst of light covering the area.
A senior Philadelphia fire official tells Fox News the fires that were sparked by the crash are "now under control."
The official said when the plane went down, it sprayed jet fuel, soaking nearby row homes. The homes then went up in flames. The fire official tells Fox News six houses and six cars caught on fire.
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to react to the tragedy.
"So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged," Trump wrote. "First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all."
Vice President JD Vance later took to X, calling the situation "very sad."
"May God bless the victims and their families," Vance wrote.
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X that he briefed Trump and other officials on the disaster.
"Just briefed the President and @GovernorShapiro from FAA HQ. I offered the full support of the @USDOT to the Governor and local officials," Duffy wrote. "Investigators are on site."
A medical ambulance plane transporting a young girl who had just received life-saving treatment crashed on a street Friday night near the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the global ambulance flight company operating the plane, said it's Learjet 55 crashed while departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at about 6:30 p.m.
The company said there were four crew members and two passengers on the plane at the time – a pilot, copilot, physician, paramedic, pediatric patient and her mother. They were all Mexican nationals.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the number of crew members and passengers.
Air Ambulance spokesperson Shai Gold told Fox News Digital the patient was a Mexican national who was in the U.S. for life-saving medical treatment. At the end of treatment, she was released to go home.
The plane was scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Tijuana International Airport, with one technical stop in Springfield, Missouri for fuel, according to Gold.
The FAA confirmed the plane was on its way to Missouri at the time of the crash.
The company could not confirm the identities or ages of anyone onboard until family is notified, but said it is unlikely there are survivors.
"The plane was loaded with jet fuel that's highly flammable," Gold said. "There is no indication that anybody survived, and by the debris field, I would be pleasantly surprised to learn otherwise."
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