Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz was a Chilean nurse who tragically lost her life in a horrific plane crash at Southend Airport on what was reportedly her first day working for a private medical jet firm
According to reports, the aircraft erupted into flames just moments after takeoff, leaving no survivors.
Who is nurse Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz, killed in Beech B200 Super King Air medical jet Southend Airport, London plane crash
Police yet to release details of all those who died in the Southend air crash on Sunday but confirmed no survivors including 4 passengers all believed to be foreign nationals flying to Holland! One nurse aboard the medical jet was newly married Chilean Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz! pic.twitter.com/WdVs0fgkuM
— Diana Speaks (@Diana6197Davis) July 15, 2025
According to reports, Maria was among the four people killed in the accident, sparking a wave of grief online.
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz Dies in Southend Airport Plane Crash
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz was a professional nurse who was aboard a Beech B200 Super King Air jet that crashed shortly after taking off from Southend Airport in Essex. According to eyewitnesses, the plane spiraled and nosedived into the ground just moments before it burst into flames.
The aircraft was reportedly en route to Lelystad in the Netherlands and had just taken off around 3:45 p.m. on what was reportedly Maria’s first day in her new job. According to her friend, she had just recently joined a private medical firm after previously working as a hospital nurse. Zeusch Aviation, which is the company operating the jet, confirmed the tragic crash and stated that no one survived.
Investigations Underway
Essex Police, along with emergency services and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), are currently conducting investigations into the exact cause of the crash of the medical jet. Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin confirmed that all four victims were foreign nationals and that they are making efforts to formally identify the deceased. The crash has seemingly caused all flights from the airport to undergo suspension.
Two Dutch pilots were also on board the plane, along with a fourth foreign national but their names have not yet been released.
Tributes and condolences
Following the tragic crash, Maria’s family has created a GoFundMe page for Maria, where it states:
It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of our beloved Feña, in a tragic accident that is still being investigated by the authorities. We know that the pain is immense and shared by the many people who loved her and supported her at different stages of her life.”
Thank you so much for being there, for the love, for the support, and for everything each of you has done during these difficult days. We hug everyone who loved her and we’ll stay in touch to support each other and organise. We love you, Feña.”
One of the eyewitnesses, John Johnson, recalled the incident, stating:
We all waved at the pilots, and they all waved back at us… three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then more or less inverted and crashed just head first into the ground. There was a big fireball… I phoned 999, reported it. We’re pretty shaken up.”
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz biography and age
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz was a 31-year-old nurse who had recently transitioned from hospital nursing to working with a private medical aviation firm. According to her friends and family, Maria was a cheerful, compassionate, and passionate caregiver. Her life was tragically cut short just as she was starting out a new chapter in her professional career.
Nationality
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz was originally from Chile and was living in Germany. Although authorities have yet to release the nationalities of all the victims, reports and fundraising pages confirmed that she is a Chilean national.
The first person to be named who was killed in the plane crash at Southend Airport is María Fernanda Rojas Ortiz, aged 31.
María was from Chile and had been living in Germany, working as a nurse in a hospital. She had got married last year.
It was the first day of her new job… pic.twitter.com/MW4ZX5pgui
— Your Southend (@YourSouthend) July 15, 2025
Career
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz previously worked as a hospital nurse and was just starting out at a private air medical service.
María had studied to be a nurse at the University of Development in Santiago, Chile and then worked at the Helios Hospital in Siegburg, Germany, until she joined the private air medical company recently.
Marriage and Children
Maria Fernanda Rojas Ortiz had just married her partner last year, and the couple did not have children. According to her friends, Maria was deeply in love and had recently celebrated her first anniversary.
Nuestras más sinceras condolencias a la familia, amigos y seres queridos de la enfermera María Fernanda Rojas Ortiz (Q.E.P.D.) 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/gAn2B8hmKe
— FENASENF (@FENASENFCHILE) July 14, 2025
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