Philadelphia plane crash victims identified by jet company, investigators find cockpit voice recorder

The six passengers traveling on a medical jet before it crashed in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night have been identified by the Mexico-based company that was operating the small plane.

All those onboard the Learjet 55 aircraft, including a pediatric patient who recently finished treatment at Shriners Children's Hospital, were killed in the crash.

A spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said the following individuals, all of whom were Mexican citizens, were flying on the plane before it went down near Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. on Jan. 31:

1. Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales
2. Copilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez
3. Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo
4. Paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla
5. Valentina Guzman Murillo
6. Lizeth Murillo Ozuna

Jet Air Ambulance said Valentina Guzman Murillo was the young patient receiving treatment in Philadelphia, and was accompanied by her mother Lizeth.

"It's extremely hard and extremely difficult, those that were involved directly in her care were very aware that she was going to be traveling home and there had actually been a sendoff for her today," Mel Bower, a spokesperson for the hospital, said Friday night.

In addition to the six victims who were killed on the plane, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said Saturday that a seventh person who was in a car at the time of the crash also died, though that individual has not yet been identified. 

In an update Sunday, Parker said that the number of injured victims increased to 22 individuals. Of those victims, Parker said five remain hospitalized, three of whom are in critical condition.

Parker added that no School District of Philadelphia schools will be closed on Monday due to the crash investigation, though delays related to traffic around the crash will be excused.

Road closures have been in effect around Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue since the crash Friday night. 

On Sunday, Philadelphia police reopened the outer lanes of Roosevelt Boulevard in both directions. Cottman Avenue still remains closed, according to the city.

Residents in the area can sign up for traffic and road closure alerts through ReadyPhiladelphia.

"The situation is fluid and it is active," Parker said.

"We have not yet recovered everything we need to recover from the scene," Adam Thiel, managing director of the City of Philadelphia, said.

City officials said they're making good progress in some areas. They said nearly all PECO and PGW services have been restored. But there's still a lot they don't know.

"We are still not sure exactly how many families were displaced," Thiel said.

The city said 11 residential properties were significantly damaged and around six people have been staying in the shelter at Samuel Fels High School each night. Still, more people may need help.

"It is possible there are still people who were affected by this event – affected by that crash that we don't know about," Thiel said. "If there is somebody who you think might have been in this area and they're missing and they haven't checked in and you can't reach them or they live there – call 911."

The city also plans to host a town hall meeting for residents impacted by the tragic accident on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. A location for that meeting has not yet been released.

Parker urges city to "take care of each other" in wake of tragedy

When asked about the emotional toll of the jet crash on the city, Mayor Parker said now is the time for Philadelphians to come together as a community and city to care for their neighbors.

"It's in times of crisis when you should remember who you are," Parker said. "We are a strong people, a resilient people who clearly understand how and why it's so important that we take care of each other."

"We will get through this moment," she said. 

Federal agencies leading crash investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the crash investigation with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration and other local agencies.

Members of the agency have been onsite in Philadelphia investigating since Friday, working round the clock with local, state and federal officials.

On Saturday, NTSB officials said the medical jet departed from a base in Florida Friday at around 12 p.m. and arrived in Northeast Philadelphia around 2:15 p.m. on Jan. 31. The jet was on the ground for a few hours and then departed the runway to go to Springfield, Missouri, around 6:06 p.m.

GPS data determined that the jet climbed about 1,500 feet into the air before taking a slight right turn, then a slight left turn and then began a steep descent before it crashed, officials said. The entire flight was less than one minute.

In an update, the NTSB said investigators found the cockpit voice recorder at the "site of initial impact, at a depth of 8 feet." Officials said they also found the airplane's enhanced ground proximity warning system, which could contain flight data.

Both devices are being sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., to be investigated. 

Anyone who comes across debris is asked not to touch it and to email witness@ntsb.gov. All wreckage will be sent to a secure location in Delaware for evaluation, NTSB officials said.

The NTSB will issue a preliminary report in about 30 days, officials said.

During Sunday's press conference, officials said it could take days and weeks before many questions about the crash are answered.

This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is released.