A DHL cargo plane crashed into a house while attempting to land at the Vilnius Airport in Lithuania early Monday morning. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-400 operated by Swiftair for DHL, went off course and struck a house, killing one person onboard. Three other individuals who were on board the plane were injured.
The flight had departed from Leipzig, Germany, and was nearing Vilnius for its scheduled landing when the crash occurred around 0330 GMT. Lithuanian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, although no evidence has been found to suggest an explosion preceded the crash.
While the possibility of terrorism is not being ruled out, Lithuania’s counter-intelligence chief, Darius Jauniskis, emphasized that there is no concrete information to support such claims at this time.
According to rescue services, the plane hit the ground, broke apart, and slid over 100 meters before crashing into a nearby house. The house was evacuated, with 12 people safely removed. Emergency responders worked to control the fire at the building, located about 1.3 km from the airport.
Investigations are ongoing, with German authorities also examining incidents involving incendiary devices found in parcels at Leipzig’s warehouse earlier this year. However, there is no immediate indication that the crash is connected to these events. Both DHL and Boeing have yet to comment on the incident.
(With Reuters Inputs)
