A DHL cargo plane. Photo: chrisstockphotography / Alamy
A DHL cargo plane crashed near Vilnius airport on Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. local time. According to local media and Reuters, the plane, which was on a flight from Leipzig, crashed into a residential building, causing a fire.
Details of the disaster
The aircraft, operated by SWIFT Airlines on behalf of DHL, crashed after an unsuccessful landing approach. There were four crew members on board.
According to the government’s National Crisis Management Centre, rescuers were able to pull the pilot out of the cockpit. He survived and regained consciousness. Two other crew members were taken to hospital in serious condition. The fourth crew member, unfortunately, died.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, all the residents of the house that the plane hit miraculously survived.
Firefighters and rescuers are working at the crash site. The cause of the crash has not yet been established, but it is known that the aircraft was making a landing approach in difficult weather conditions.
The National Crisis Management Centre has launched an investigation into the incident. It is expected that the first official results will be made public in the near future.
