All four people aboard a small plane that crashed shortly after taking off from London Southend Airport are dead, police said Monday.

A small plane has crashed at London Southend Airport on England's south east coast, police said on Sunday. "We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport," the local Essex Police said, adding that they were alerted just before 4 p.m. to reports of a collision involving a 39-foot plane.

LONDON (AP) — Emergency services raced Sunday to the scene of a small plane crash at London Southend Airport. No details on where the plane was heading or how many people were on board were immediately disclosed. In a statement on social media, the airport confirmed a “serious incident” involving what it termed a general aviation aircraft.