PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Mayor Cherelle Parker was joined by Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and other city officials Monday afternoon to share updates on the investigation into the medical transport jet that crashed in the city’s Northeast on Friday, killing at least seven people and injuring two dozen.
Six Mexican nationals aboard the plane, including a pediatric patient and her mother, were killed.
At least one person on the ground was killed in the crash. Parker said on Monday that the number of injured has grown to 24.
Parker said the city will set up a public town hall meeting for the Northeast Philadelphia community on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at Solomon Solis-Cohen School.
It is not clear what caused the plane to crash so suddenly after takeoff. The NTSB is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. They are classifying it as an accident.
The latest on what to know about the deadly crash:
Where did the plane crash?
Around 6:10 p.m., a private Learjet 55 spiraled down to the ground only about 30 seconds after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights. It crashed in the area of Cottman and Bustleton avenues, a busy intersection near the Roosevelt Mall with many stores and row homes nearby.
Several homes and cars were set ablaze, and fiery debris was strewn about. Officials say it was a high-impact crash.
Anyone who sees debris is asked not to touch it; contact witness@ntsb.gov.
What is the status of the investigation?
Investigators have located both engines. And Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Monday confirmed that investigators had found the cockpit voice recorder in the crater made by the impact of the crash. It was about 8 feet deep in the ground.
"We don't have a data recorder on this aircraft, but there is an enhanced ground proximity warning system," Duffy said, which may have some flight data.
"Whether it's the speed or location of the aircraft, we will be able to get some data, hopefully, off that device. But the FAA and the NTSB, they're going to look at ... was there medical concerns? Was there technical or mechanical issues on the airplane? All factors."
Duffy said he hopes to get their preliminary report within 30 days, and he committed to being as transparent as possible with new information as it comes out.
Who was on the plane?
Jet Rescue, which owns the medical transport jet, said there were six people on board — four crew members, a young girl and her mother. All of them were from Mexico.
The six Mexican nationals aboard the plane were killed. Valentina Guzman Murillo, 11, and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna, were identified by the government of Ensenada, a city in Baja, California, where the family is from. Jet Air Ambulance identified the medical staff and crew as Dr. Raul Meza, paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and co-pilot Josue Juarez.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the plane originated in Florida and arrived in Philadelphia around 2:15 p.m. Friday. The young girl had received treatment at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition and was being transported back home to Mexico when the plane crashed.
The plane was first heading to a stop at Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
The crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue, according to The Associated Press. In 2023, five crew members were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.
How many people were affected?
The mayor on Monday updated the total number of injured to at least 24 people. Four of them are still in the hospital — two of them stable and two critical.
One of the deceased was killed inside a car as debris from the Learjet 55 crash exploded into the neighborhood, damaging nearby homes. The victim killed in the car has not been identified.
For those in the neighborhood who are displaced, the Office of Emergency Management and Philadelphia Red Cross have been operating a 24/7 shelter at Samuel Fels High School.
"It’s open 24/7. The Red Cross disaster workers are there to assist anyone who has been impacted as a result of this tragedy," Parker said.
Parker said if you need assistance other than shelter, or if you know someone who may be missing or unaccounted for following the crash, call 911.
Officials are going door-to-door to seek additional information from neighborhood residents, Parker said.
How is travel affected?
Roosevelt Boulevard has been fully reopened. The inner and outer lanes, northbound and southbound, are clear for travel.
As of Monday, road closures remain in place on Cottman Avenue, from Bustleton Avenue to the Boulevard.
Delays can be expected during the course of investigation and cleanup. Motorists are advised to avoid the area by using alternate routes and allowing for extra driving time in areas near the event.
Sign up for updates from the Office of Emergency Management at ReadyPHL.
SEPTA passengers may experience delays and cancellations. Detours and route changes are available on the System Status Page online at septa.org. SEPTA Customer Service can be reached by phone at 215-580-7800 and on X at @septa_social. For real-time SEPTA updates, visit septa.org/alerts.
Are schools affected?
The School District of Philadelphia has confirmed that there will be no school closures and Parker says no charter schools have been affected.
"Students and staff will receive a note, and if there are any delays that are due to the incident, they will be excused," Parker said.
What can you do to help?
As of right now, nothing. Parker asked the public not to bring any type of donations to the crash site or make any monetary contributions just yet. A fund has not been set up through the city yet, she said, but as soon as it is established, the city will communicate that to the public.