In the early hours of Monday, a Boeing 737 operated for DHL by Swiftair crashed just before landing, striking a residential house, as local authorities confirmed.
**Crash of DHL Cargo Jet Near Vilnius Airport Leaves One Dead and Three Injured**
**Crash of DHL Cargo Jet Near Vilnius Airport Leaves One Dead and Three Injured**
A tragic cargo plane accident near Vilnius has resulted in one fatality and several injuries, prompting investigations into the cause.
At least one person has died and three others sustained injuries following the crash of a cargo plane close to Vilnius airport in Lithuania on Monday morning. The incident involved a Boeing 737 operated by the Spanish cargo airline Swiftair on behalf of DHL. According to local authorities, the aircraft went down near a residential building while preparing to land. Fortunately, all twelve occupants of the home were safely evacuated before the crash, reported police sources.
Although the cause of the crash remains uncertain, the defense minister indicated there were no immediate indications of sabotage or terrorism. The plane departed from Leipzig Airport in Germany just after 03:00 local time and encountered trouble approximately an hour and a half into its journey. DHL has confirmed that the aircraft reported an "emergency landing."
Images from the crash site depict debris from the plane scattered among nearby trees, with part of the wreckage causing slight damage to a residential property. Renatas Pozela, a senior police officer, provided details stating that the airplane skidded several kilometers from the airport, ultimately impacting a house in the process. Among the crew of four, one member has been confirmed dead.
It's currently unclear how many individuals were on board the flight overall. While the nearby residence sustained some damage and a fire ignited in adjacent infrastructure, all residents were successfully evacuated prior to further harm.
In light of this incident, both the Lithuanian authorities and DHL have initiated separate investigations. Police Chief Arunas Paulauskas indicated that the potential cause might stem from a technical malfunction or human error, while affirming that all possibilities will be thoroughly examined. Marius Baranauskas, the head of the Lithuanian National Aviation Authority, stated that communication between the pilots and the air traffic control tower did not reveal any alarming issues before the crash, and currently, no evidence suggests an explosion occurred prior to the aircraft's descent.
The aircraft in question was identified as a 31-year-old Boeing 737-400, with prevailing weather conditions at the time of the crash reported as 0°C (32°F) and winds around 30 km/h (19 mph). Investigators will continue to work through the details in hopes of uncovering the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
Although the cause of the crash remains uncertain, the defense minister indicated there were no immediate indications of sabotage or terrorism. The plane departed from Leipzig Airport in Germany just after 03:00 local time and encountered trouble approximately an hour and a half into its journey. DHL has confirmed that the aircraft reported an "emergency landing."
Images from the crash site depict debris from the plane scattered among nearby trees, with part of the wreckage causing slight damage to a residential property. Renatas Pozela, a senior police officer, provided details stating that the airplane skidded several kilometers from the airport, ultimately impacting a house in the process. Among the crew of four, one member has been confirmed dead.
It's currently unclear how many individuals were on board the flight overall. While the nearby residence sustained some damage and a fire ignited in adjacent infrastructure, all residents were successfully evacuated prior to further harm.
In light of this incident, both the Lithuanian authorities and DHL have initiated separate investigations. Police Chief Arunas Paulauskas indicated that the potential cause might stem from a technical malfunction or human error, while affirming that all possibilities will be thoroughly examined. Marius Baranauskas, the head of the Lithuanian National Aviation Authority, stated that communication between the pilots and the air traffic control tower did not reveal any alarming issues before the crash, and currently, no evidence suggests an explosion occurred prior to the aircraft's descent.
The aircraft in question was identified as a 31-year-old Boeing 737-400, with prevailing weather conditions at the time of the crash reported as 0°C (32°F) and winds around 30 km/h (19 mph). Investigators will continue to work through the details in hopes of uncovering the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
