A tragic incident occurred in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday, November 25, 2024, when a DHL cargo plane crashed near a residential area, killing at least one person and injuring two others.
The plane, operated by Swiftair for DHL, was travelling from Leipzig, Germany, to Vilnius Airport when it went down in the municipality of Liepkalnis around 5:30am local time.
According to reports, there were four people on board, including two pilots and two DHL employees. Unfortunately, one pilot was killed in the crash, while the second pilot and two other crew members were rescued with signs of life.
The incident also caused a fire at the scene, but the residents of the affected house are all alive, with a dozen people evacuated.
The airport’s operations were not disrupted despite the crash.
“City services are currently onsite, along with a fire truck and a command team from Vilnius Airport,” the Lithuanian airport authority posted on X.
“Airport operations are not disrupted at this time.”
Renatas Pozela, spokesperson for the Fire Protection and Rescue Department, expressed relief that the plane did not hit the house directly, but rather the yard.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown and under investigation.
