Child patient among seven killed in Philadelphia crash

A young girl traveling home after completing life-saving” medical treatment, her mother, and at least one medical professional were on board when an air ambulance fell out of the sky and crashed into a residential Philadelphia neighbourhood.

- MIKE BEDIGAN

Seven people in total have now been confirmed dead, with 19 more injured, following the incident on Friday evening. Several dwellings and vehicles sustained damage in the crash.

Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum later confirmed that all six people onboard the flight, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, were Mexican citizens. The seventh person killed was on the ground.

The flight was chartered to transport a young girl, who had just completed treatment at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia hospital. Her mother was accompanying her.

A hospital spokesperson said the child had spent four months there receiving life-saving treatment for a condition not easily treated in Mexico, and had been released from the hospital on Friday.

Shriners officials said they could not give details about the girl or her family because of patient privacy concerns.

“Her journey was one of hope and of aspiration,” spokesperson Mel Bower told The Philadelphia Inquirer. The relationships that the girl formed with staff “were true and were dear”, and she will be missed greatly by them, he said.

“It’s always a meaningful but yet emotional time for us. It’s really just been compounded by the tragic ending.”