Officials in Philadelphia say they have been in close contact with the Mexican consulate following a medical plane crash that was carrying Mexican nationals.
In less than a minute, a Mexico-bound air ambulance jet that departed Philadelphia on Friday night, climbed to 1,500 feet before it took a steep nosedive, crashing into the ground, and leaving an 8-foot crater. The ensuing fireball set several homes on fire in the area as debris scattered up to five blocks away.
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According to the National Transportation Safety Board, all six Mexican nationals on the flight died, including a little girl who had just received life-saving medical treatment, and her mother.
"Our city continues to mourn their loss and they are in our thoughts and prayers," Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said at a press conference.
Parker added that 22 people on the ground were injured from the crash, plus another who was killed in their car.
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Officials say it could be weeks before a cause of the crash is identified. The NTSB has located the jet's black box and will analyze it to gather more information about what may have caused the crash.
