Air Ambulance Crashes in Philadelphia, 6 Onboard Dead

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FEB 1

Above: The aftermath of destruction after an air ambulance crashed in Philadelphia on Feb. 1, 2025. Image copyright: Kyle Mazza/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Imagesstory last updated FEB 1

The Facts

All six people, including a Mexican girl who had just received life-saving treatment at Shriners Children's Philadelphia, onboard a Jet Rescue Air Ambulance have been killed after the plane crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after take-off on Friday evening.
The ambulance — carrying the patient, her mother, and four crew members (all Mexican citizens) — was traveling to Springfield, Missouri. According to data on FlightAware, it was operated by Med Jets and had arrived in Philadelphia from Florida less than four hours earlier.
It reportedly reached an altitude of 1,625 feet before crashing just blocks from the Roosevelt Mall and causing a large explosion that set multiple homes and cars on fire in the Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard area.

The Spin

Narrative A

While the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the LearJet 55 crash, it must be pointed out that Jet Rescue Air Ambulance previously operated a Learjet 35A involved in a deadly 2023 crash in southern Mexico. Between 2000 and 2020, 87 accidents killed 230 people — it's time to address the human factors to prevent further fatal crashes.

FOX News Associated Press

Narrative B

It's premature to speculate on why the plane — flying under rainy weather and low visibility — went down. Moreover, it's heartbreaking to know that the child fought to survive, but an awful aviation disaster shortened her life. This tragic turn of events is shocking, especially when the ambulance maintained the highest international standards and had been in excellent flying condition.

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