Southend Airport plane crash pilots killed in 'fireball' named

The two pilots killed when their plane smashed into the ground at Southend Airport, Essex, have been named. Captain Danny Marco Franken and First Officer Floris Christiaan Rhee died on Sunday, July 13. Zeusch Aviation said both of them were "highly respected and cherished colleagues". The company's managing director, Marco Rietvelt, said the pair were well liked among their colleagues and had a "passion" for carrying out their missions.

He said: "Danny and Floris were not only highly skilled pilots, but also greatly valued and popular members of our team. Their passion for flying was matched by their dedication to their colleagues and the important missions they carried out." Franken and Rhee were killed when the medical flight, chartered to take a patient for treatment elsewhere in the country, crashed inside the airport boundary.

The patient had already been dropped off and the twin-turboprop Beechcraft B200 Super King Air was due to head back to its base in the Netherlands.

Also killed in the fireball were nurse Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, a German national originally from Chile, and German Dr Matthias Eyl.

Dr Eyl, 46, is believed to be from the Kleinmaischeid municipality in Germany. A social media tribute describes him as "a doctor, companion and friend".

It goes on: "With his warm, honest, and humorous nature, he has not only provided medical assistance, but shaped our community.

"He was a man who listened, tackled and encouraged. Exactly when it came down to it. His commitment was not taken for granted, his loss is immeasurable."

A friend told the Express that Maria had the "warmest heart", and it was her first day on the job. She also married her partner just last year.

A GoFundMe page says: "It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of our beloved Feña, in a tragic accident that is still under investigation by the authorities.

"We know that the pain is immense and shared by the many people who loved her and supported her at different stages of her life.

"In the midst of this difficult time, we want to organise ourselves to support her family. This process entails many unexpected expenses - transfers, paperwork, possible travel, and everything necessary to give her a proper send-off."