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Let's return to the breaking news that a small plane has crashed on take-off at Southend Airport
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with locals seeing a fireball and black smoke towering into the sky
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Firefighters have rushed to the scene, while the airport's on-site fire team also attend
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The airport is currently closed and EasyJet's scheduled flights serving Southend have been cancelled for the rest of the day
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In the last few moments, as well, Essex Police have released this statement
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We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport
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We were alerted shortly before four o'clock to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane
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We are working with all emergency services at the scene now. That work will be ongoing for several hours
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We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible whilst this work continues as a precaution due to their proximity to the incident
0:53
We are evacuating the Rochford 100 Golf Club and Westcliffe Rugby Club
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Updates will be issued as soon as is possible. OK, and we'll keep you updated as well
1:04
David Burton-Sampson, the Labour MP for Southend, wrote on X, I'm aware of an incident at Southend Airport
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Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work
1:15
My thoughts are with everyone involved
