PH consulate: No reports of Filipinos affected by Philadelphia plane crash

NEW YORK – The Philippine Consulate in New York said Saturday it has yet to receive confirmed information that Filipinos were affected by the plane crash in northeast Philadelphia.

In a Facebook post, the consulate said it was closely monitoring reports regarding the plane crash near Cottman and Roosevelt Boulevard. The ill-fated aircraft was a small rescue plane with six people on board that crashed at a populated area.

"At this time, there have been no confirmed reports of Filipino nationals impacted by the incident," the consulate's advisory read.

"The Consulate is in touch with Filipino community organizations and local authorities to determine if any Filipino nationals were among those affected," it said.

New York Consul General Senen Mangalile assured that the Consulate is prepared to assist any affected Filipinos and urged the community to reach out via the Consulate's emergency hotline.

The crash site is near an outlet of a popular Filipino fast food chain.

According to a Reuters report, a medevac plane crashed in Philadelphia on Friday (Philadelphia time) with a child and five others on board, the air ambulance company that operated it said, adding that it had not confirmed any survivors.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said its aircraft crashed with four crew members, one pediatric medical patient and the patient's escort on board.

President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it was "so sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job."

The crash follows this week's collision of an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., which killed 67 in the deadliest airplane crash in the U.S. since 2009.

The Federal Aviation Administration said six people were on the Learjet 55 that crashed around 6:30 p.m. (0030 GMT). Local media reported it was near the Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia and that there were multiple injuries on the ground.

Video aired on local TV stations showed the plane in a sharp dive before slamming into the ground in a heavily populated area of northeast Philadelphia and exploding in a massive fireball.

At least one house and multiple cars were on fire, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The weather was cold and rainy and with low visibility at the time of the crash.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker stated that the crash site remains an active scene and authorities have yet to determine if there were additional casualties on the ground.

"I want to go over some basic facts about what we know for certain right now. An aircraft went down near Roosevelt Mall on Cottman Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. this evening. As of now, we have no confirmed reports on the number of fatalities. We are asking for prayers for anyone who may have been affected," Parker said.

"We also want to note that several dwellings and vehicles were impacted. So, Philadelphia, what are we asking of you right now? Please stay away from the scene. If you see debris, call 911 and do not touch anything. This remains an active scene under investigation," Parker said in a media briefing.

The jet took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri when it crashed just minutes after takeoff. — Dave Llavanes Jr./ VDV, GMA Integrated News