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Dawn Staley sends condolences following tragic Philadelphia plane crash

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery•about 9 hours
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Ken Ruinard/staff: USA TODAY NETWORK

There was a second tragic plane crash in the United State over three days on Friday night. Learjet 55, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, causing a massive explosion. The tragic accident killed at least six people, including two pilots, two doctors, a patient, and the patient’s mother onboard.

Shortly after the news broke on Friday evening, Philadelphia native Dawn Staley decided to share her condolences via Twitter.

“Praying for my Philly peeps as a plane has crashed in northeast. Check on your family, Philly,” Staley tweeted.

Staley is the head women’s basketball coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks, but she was born and raised in Philadelphia, where she attended Dobbins Tech High School.

Six people with injuries attributed to the crash were taken to Temple University Hospital–Jeanes Campus, near Northeast Philadelphia, where three were listed in fair condition and three others were treated and released, a spokesperson for Temple said.

It wasn’t clear where the patients were when the aircraft struck the ground.

The Learjet 55 departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the FAA said in a statement on Friday evening via an article from Dennis Romero of NBC News. A spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, Shai Gold, told NBC Philadelphia the patient was a child who had come to the USA for “life-saving treatment” and was returning to Mexico.

Shortly after the incident, Shriners Children’s Hospital issued a press release on Twitter from Mel Bower, their Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. The statement gave further insight about the people onboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.

Shriners Children’s Hospital statement on tragic plane crash

“Shriner’s Children’s is heartbroken to confirm that one of our pediatric patients and the child’s mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia this evening. The patient had received care from Shriners Children’s Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened. Because of patient privacy concerns, we cannot say any more about the patient and her family at this time,” the statement read.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event–as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground–and we’re thankful to the first responders for their quick action,” the statement finished.