A US Airways passenger jet crash landed into the River Thames near Rainham Marshes earlier today after colliding with two unidentified drones according to the British Transport police.
Essex police have confirmed reports that all 42 passengers and 6 crew members are unharmed and safely brought ashore. Two passengers were treated on the scene for minor injuries and another was later transferred to Queens Hospital in Romford after suffering a heart attack, their status is currently unknown.
London City Airport stated that United Airways flight 132 lost radar contact at 2:31pm, shortly after the airliner departed for Amsterdam Airport Schipol. The BTP estimate flight 132 travelled 1 mile east of LCY before suffering total engine failure as a result of the drone collision. The pilots successfully managed to ditch the plane in the River Thames avoiding a catastrophic crash in east London.
Reports of the crash landing first surfaced on twitter around 2:30pm via @thamestweets stating “Holy Crap, a plane just landed on the Thames” accompanied by a clear photo depicting the American plane floating alarmingly close to the Purfleet Wildlife Reserve.
Emergency services were swift to respond to the situation, where Essex, Kent and Thames River Police operated alongside the RLNI to ensure all passengers were safely brought ashore from the wreckage. Within in an hour the emergency service effort had ensured all passengers were brought away from the crash site. Around this time speculation emerged whether the plane was downed from a bird strike.
Passengers on board flight 132 were also quick to tweet their experience with one stating “Did not expect to spend my birthday standing on the wing of a plane” This lucky passenger, Nadine Johnson continued to tweet their praise for the pilot safely landing the airliner calling them a “total legend”
In an act of support for the passengers the Purfleet Heritage and Military centre has provided recovered passengers with food and drink and the ability to get in touch with loved ones according to their twitter where they said, “Cant believe everyone got out of this alive”
The BTP have now opened an investigation into the crash landing considering whether drones were involved after debris located near the plane indicates parts of drones in the engines.