Lithuanian police are scouring the area where a DHL cargo plane crashed near Vilnius International Airport on Monday. The incident resulted in the death of one crew member, prompting Germany to consider the possibility of external involvement in the disaster.
Although authorities have not directly linked the crash to a recent string of sabotage cases, Lithuanian officials have been investigating alleged instances of incendiary devices being placed on cargo planes in recent weeks. The plane, which originated from Leipzig, Germany, crashed approximately one kilometer from Vilnius airport after striking several buildings and skidding several hundred meters, according to police and DHL.
Images from the crash site reveal debris from the plane and burning packages scattered across a residential area, which has been cordoned off by emergency services. Lithuania's Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas stated that there are currently no signs or evidence suggesting sabotage or a terrorist act, and the investigation to determine the cause could take about a week.
State Security Department chief Darius Jauniskis noted that while Lithuania has faced an increasingly aggressive Russia, it is premature to attribute the crash to terrorism. Lithuania's Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte echoed this caution, urging the public to avoid jumping to conclusions during the investigation. However, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock raised the question of whether the crash was an accident or another hybrid incident.
Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius later stated in Berlin that there were no findings indicating an explosive charge on the aircraft. According to police, the plane skidded several hundred meters, hitting a residential building that caught fire, along with smaller structures and a car. Firefighters confirmed that one of the four crew members died in the crash, with the deceased being Spanish, and the other crew members being Spanish, German, and Lithuanian nationals, one of whom was critically injured.
The emergency services evacuated the house hit by the plane, moving its 12 residents to safety. A resident near the crash site described being woken by an explosion and witnessing a wave of explosions and a cloud of fire, likening it to fireworks. DHL stated that the aircraft, operated by its partner SwiftAir, was attempting an emergency landing early in the morning. A German transport ministry official noted that the country's Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation will support the investigation on site.
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
