Vilnius: A cargo plane crash near Vilnius Airport in Lithuania on Monday left one crew member dead and three others injured. The plane, en route from Leipzig, Germany, crashed just a few kilometers from the airport, skidding into a residential home and bursting into flames.
The crash occurred early in the morning when the Boeing 737-400, operating under contract for DHL, lost control and slid several hundred meters before hitting a house. Remarkably, the pilot and two other crew members—one Lithuanian, one German, and one Spanish—survived, though they were hospitalized with injuries. Additionally, 12 residents of the house were evacuated safely, with no injuries reported.
The plane’s descent was captured on nearby security footage, showing the aircraft before it disappeared behind a building, followed by a massive fireball and a plume of black smoke. Local authorities confirmed the fire was extinguished by 7:33 a.m. local time.
Investigators, including police and prosecutors, are looking into the cause of the crash, with some speculating a technical malfunction or human error as potential factors. While terrorism has not been ruled out, Lithuania’s Counter-intelligence chief Darius Jauniskis stated that no definitive conclusions could be made at this time.
The incident, which occurred at around 5:30 a.m. local time near Zirniu Street, caused delays in flights from Vilnius Airport, though operations were otherwise unaffected.
DHL confirmed that the flight was carrying out services under contract with Swiftair and has yet to determine the cause of the accident, with investigations continuing.
