A DHL cargo plane crashed into a house near Lithuania’s Vilnius airport early Monday, killing one person and injuring three. The Boeing 737-400, operated by Swiftair for DHL, approached Vilnius airport at 3:30 GMT after departing Leipzig, Germany. Officials reported the plane hit the ground, broke into pieces, and slid over 100 meters before hitting the house.
Twelve residents were evacuated safely, and no ground casualties were reported. As firefighters attempted to put out the fire, smoke and flames surrounded the crash site. While firefighters doused the burning debris north of the runway with water, nearby streets were blocked off.
Rescue personnel verified that there had been no explosions before the collision and that the cause would be determined by examining the black boxes. Lithuanian police identified the deceased as Spanish citizens, while the injured included Spanish, German, and Lithuanian nationals.
Authorities initiated a criminal and civil investigation to determine the cause of the incident. Although Lithuanian counterintelligence has not yet ruled out the possibility of terrorism or sabotage, it did state that currently, there is no evidence.
Germany is investigating previous fires caused by incendiary devices inside parcels at DHL’s Leipzig warehouse earlier this year. British counter-terrorism are also looking at similar incidents, including a July warehouse fire in Birmingham, and are exploring potential connections.
A DHL spokesperson confirmed the aircraft carried standard parcels and that it had launched its own investigation into the crash. Furthermore, Boeing is cooperating with the inquiry, while Swiftair has refused to comment. The plane, which was 31 years old, was part of a routine flight schedule. After the DHL cargo plane crashed, officials urged patience as investigations proceeded to uncover the truth behind the tragic incident.
