A tragic plane accident in Philadelphia on the night of Friday, January 31, resulted in the death of seven people, six of Mexican nationality, who were traveling in an air ambulance operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance. Among the victims were the pilot, the co-pilot, two paramedics, and a mother with her 12-year-old daughter. The girl, who was suffering from cancer and receiving treatment in Philadelphia, along with her mother, was heading home to Tijuana.
"Their journey was one of hope," commented a spokesperson, highlighting the close relationships that the girl had developed with the medical staff. "The relationships that the girl formed with the staff 'were genuine and cherished', and she will be greatly missed by them," he added.
One of the Mexicans who died in the accident was identified as Raúl Meza, a doctor from XE Médica Ambulancias. Josué Juárez, captain and crew member of the Learjet 55, was also among the victims, according to his relatives.
Philadelphia authorities reported that the death toll rose to seven, after the confirmation of one person's death on the ground who was in one of the vehicles affected by the plane. The accident also left 19 people injured, which could increase the number of victims in the coming hours.
The aircraft's sudden crash caused an explosion and several fires, with most of the injured patients being treated and discharged from the hospital. However, at least three individuals remain hospitalized. This tragic event comes just two days after another plane accident in Washington D.C., where a commercial plane and a military helicopter collided, resulting in multiple fatalities.
