One of the victims of the London Southend Airport plane crash has been named as Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz by her loved ones.
The 31-year-old was a German citizen born in Chile and was on her first day as a “flight nurse”, according to the BBC.
A Dutch pilot and co-pilot were also among those four people killed when the Beechcraft B200 aircraft crashed to the ground and erupted in a fireball on Sunday afternoon.
“We are working to officially confirm their identities. At this stage, we believe all four are foreign nationals”, Essex Police chief superintendent Morgan Cronin said on Monday.
Essex Police were alerted shortly before 4pm to “reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane” at the airport and remain on the scene of the “serious incident”.
Images posted on social media showed a plume of fire and black smoke coming up from the crash site, while witnesses described seeing a “fireball”.
The plane was operated by Zeusch Aviation, which specialises in medical evaluations, and is based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands.
Zeusch Aviation has confirmed it is actively supporting authorities with the investigation, and that its thoughts were with "everyone who has been affected".
A Gofundme page set up to support Maria’s family read: “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.
"We're starting this charity fundraiser among friends, colleagues, and those close to Feña. The idea is to raise funds that will then be donated directly to her family, so they can use them for whatever they deem most necessary.
"We will be fully transparent in our reporting of the contributions received and, if the family allows it, how the funds were used.
"Thank you so much for being here, for the love, for the support, and for everything each of you has done during these difficult days. We embrace everyone who love us and we'll stay in touch to support each other and stay organised.
“We love you Feña.”
Lisa Fitzsimons of the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) told reporters on Monday that an investigation into the cause of the crash was underway.
She said that emergency services had worked to secure the site and inspectors would now work to gather evidence.
“At this stage it is too early to speculate what caused this tragic accident,” Ms Fitzsimons said.
“Our thoughts are with the friends and family of all those involved.”
Southend Airport will remain closed until further notice.
