Philadelphia jet crash victims identified; cockpit voice recorder recovered

The plane had reached about 1,500 feet before it plummeted to the ground on Friday in Philadelphia, NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said. Homendy reported the air ambulance crash was classified as an accident, and there were no signs that things were going to go wrong. Matt Rourke/ap

Four of the passengers killed in a medical transport jet crash in Philadelphia have been identified by the Mexico-based company operating the plane as investigators made some progress over the weekend.

The jet’s cockpit voice recorder was recovered at the impact site, the NTSB reported in a Sunday update. Also recovered was the aircraft’s ground proximity warning system, which could contain flight data.

The plane had reached about 1,500 feet before it plummeted to the ground, NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said. Homendy reported the air ambulance crash was classified as an accident, and there were no signs that things were going to go wrong.

Officials said a preliminary report would be issued in about 30 days.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said a child patient and five other people were on the Learjet 55 when it crashed shortly after takeoff around 6:30 p.m. Friday.

The child had recently completed treatment at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia hospital for a condition not easily treated in Mexico, hospital officials said. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said all six victims on the plane were from her country.

A spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance confirmed the names of the four crew members who were killed in the crash:

Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales

Copilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez

Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo

Paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla

The Ensenada municipal government confirmed Valentina Guzmán Murillo was the child receiving treatment and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Osuna accompanied her.

On Saturday, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a news conference one person on the ground who was in a car was killed in the crash. The individual has not been identified.

Parker, in providing an update on Sunday, said 22 people were injured and five of them remain hospitalized. At least 11 homes were significantly damaged, along with some businesses.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation, when an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors.

Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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