Valentina Guzman Murillo, a young patient under treatment in Philadelphia’s Jet Air Ambulance, was accompanied by her mother, Lizeth, during the ill-fated journey. Mel Bower, a spokesperson for the hospital, described the emotional difficulty faced by the medical staff who had prepared Valentina for her return home. Tragically, besides the six individuals who perished in the plane crash, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker revealed that a seventh person in a car at the time also lost their life. The victim was identified as 37-year-old Steven Dreuitt. Mayor Parker later reported that the number of injured victims had risen to 22, with five still in hospitals, three in critical condition. Despite the tragic incident, Philadelphia schools will remain open on Monday, though related traffic delays will be excused. Road closures around the crash site, specifically Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, have been in effect and updates can be received through ReadyPhiladelphia alerts. Progress has been made in restoring services, but uncertainties remain, including the number of displaced families. The city is offering support to affected residents and plans a town hall meeting for further assistance. Mayor Parker emphasized unity and mutual support in the face of adversity, urging the community to stand together during this challenging time. Federal agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, are leading the investigation into the crash, supported by local authorities.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials announced on Saturday that the medical jet had taken off from a base in Florida on Friday at approximately 12 p.m. and landed in Northeast Philadelphia at around 2:15 p.m. on January 31st. After spending a few hours on the ground, the jet then took off from the runway heading towards Springfield, Missouri, at 6:06 p.m.
According to GPS data analysis, it was revealed that the jet ascended to about 1,500 feet in the air, made a slight right turn, followed by a slight left turn, and then began a steep descent before ultimately crashing in less than a minute, as stated by officials.
In a subsequent update, the NTSB disclosed that the cockpit voice recorder was recovered at the “site of initial impact, at a depth of 8 feet.” Additionally, officials mentioned the discovery of the airplane’s enhanced ground proximity warning system, which might contain vital flight data. A photo of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Learjet 55 that crashed in Philadelphia on January 31 was also released. The CVR was retrieved at the initial impact location, buried 8 feet below the surface. This information was credited to the NTSB.
Both these devices will now be transferred to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for thorough examination. Instructing the public, officials urged anyone encountering debris not to handle it but instead to report it via email at witness@ntsb.gov. All wreckage will be carefully transported to a secure facility in Delaware for further evaluation, as per NTSB authorities.
Moreover, it was mentioned that the NTSB intends to release a preliminary report within approximately 30 days. Officials cautioned during a press conference on Sunday that it might take days or even weeks before many unanswered questions regarding the crash are resolved.
This remains an evolving incident, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available. Information pertaining to Chinese retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods scheduled to come into effect next week and President Trump’s meetings with foreign leaders following controversial remarks about Gaza were also highlighted in the ongoing news cycle.
