New Delhi, July 13 -- A small passenger plane burst into flames just seconds after taking off from London Southend Airport on Sunday afternoon. The Beech B200 Super King Air aircraft, heading to Lelystad in the Netherlands, crashed at 4 p.m. while climbing, creating a massive fireball seen for miles.

Eyewitness John Johnson described the horrifying moment: "It banked left, flipped upside down, and smashed headfirst into the ground. A huge fireball followed". Emergency crews rushed to the Essex airport, closing it immediately and evacuating nearby golf and rugby clubs as a precaution.

The plane, operated by Dutch medical transport firm Zeusch Aviation, had carried out two earlier flights that day.

Dozens of first responders battled the ...