'Superhero' boy, 10, who saved little sister in plane crash impaled in head by jet metal

A young boy has been hailed a "superhero" after he shielded his little sister when an air ambulance crashed onto a busy street. Andre Howard, 10, was sitting in his parents' car with his father and two siblings when the aircraft descended to the ground in Philadelphia, US. The brave boy told his sister to "get down" moments before debris began "shooting everywhere." His dad recalled the moment when he spotted Andre had taken the hit instead, and noticed a "piece of metal sticking out" of his head.

Luckily, Andre managed to survive the ordeal and is on the road to recovery. His father, who is also named Andre, told ABC 6 Action News: “My son … tells his little sister, ‘Get down’. And he grabs her [as] I hear the glass shatter. I turn around, there’s a piece of metal sticking out of my son’s head from the plane.”. A police officer spotted what had happened and raced the little boy to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where medics operated on him straight away. Mr Howard said doctors told him to prepare for the worst and said his "son wasn't supposed to make it." The worried dad added: “They also told us, ‘They don’t do children trauma.’ But they did for us, which was nothing but God.”.

Andre’s mum, Lashawn Hamiel, praised her son for being a little fighter and said he is "strong ". She continued: “He’s good. He’s pushing through. He’s strong, he’s a jokester, but he’s strong. He’s a superhero.” Mr Howard said he was proud of his son and said that he acted "off of instinct ." He continued: “To face death yesterday and speaking today, stepping up for his little sister like I train him and his other little brothers to do off of instinct — he’s my hero." Seven people were confirmed dead following the crash.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the six people on board the medical transport jet had all been killed. The small jet went down just after departing from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, creating what witnesses described as a massive fireball and leaving a chaotic street scene. The seventh person was a civilian on the ground. At least 19 people were injured, though most were released from hospitals. Authorities could not yet say why the jet crashed, and Adam Thiel, the city’s managing director, said it could be days — or longer — until officials are able to fully count the number of dead and injured across a massive impact area in a densely populated residential area.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on Saturday morning in a statement on Twitter ( X ). She said: “I mourn the passing of six Mexicans in the aviation accident in Philadelphia, United States. Consular authorities are in constant contact with the families; I’ve asked the Foreign Affairs Secretary to support whatever is needed. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.".