A DHL cargo plane crashed near Vilnius Airport Monday morning, resulting in at least one fatality and sparking a fire that damaged a nearby house, The Associated Press reports.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation, although authorities are exploring various possibilities.
The Boeing 737-300F, operated by Swiftair, a Madrid-based contractor for DHL, crashed approximately 1.5 kilometers short of the runway at Vilnius Airport, shortly before 5:30 a.m. local time. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the aircraft making a turn to align with the runway before the crash.
According to Renatas Požėla, chief of the Fire and Rescue Department, the plane skidded for several hundred meters before coming to rest, causing a fire that impacted a residential area. While firefighters successfully evacuated residents, one person was killed and at least two others were injured and hospitalized. The deceased was identified as a member of the flight crew, but not a pilot. Two pilots were freed from the cockpit, one sustaining more serious injuries than the other.
Lithuanian Police General Commissioner Arūnas Paulauskas confirmed the death and injuries at a news conference, stating that the investigation is ongoing and exploring several possible causes. These include technical malfunctions, human error, and the possibility of a terrorist act, although no official conclusions have been drawn. Investigators are interviewing surviving crew members to gather information.
The aircraft, a 31-year-old Boeing 737, arrived from Leipzig, Germany, a major freight hub. While the age of the aircraft is noted, it’s not uncommon for cargo planes of this age to remain in service. Images from the scene show fragments of the plane, bearing DHL’s distinctive yellow livery, scattered amidst the wreckage.
The weather at the time of the crash was reported as near-freezing, with cloudy conditions before sunrise and winds around 18 mph. Both DHL Group and Swiftair have yet to release official statements. The Lithuanian airport authority confirmed the incident and reported that emergency services responded swiftly to the scene.
