One Crew Member Dead, Three Survive as Cargo Plane Crashes Near Vilnius Airport

A cargo plane crash near Vilnius Airport, Lithuania, early Monday has left one crew member dead, with three others injured but survived along with all 12 residents of a house the plane collided with in its descent.

Authorities have initiated investigations to determine the cause of the crash, with possibilities ranging from technical faults or human error to less likely scenarios, such as terrorism.

Details of the Incident

• The Boeing 737-400, operated by Swiftair under contract for DHL, was en route from Leipzig, Germany, to Vilnius Airport.
• The crash occurred around 5:30 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET), just kilometers short of the runway.
• The plane skidded several hundred meters before striking the courtyard of a residential house, narrowly missing a direct impact.

Casualties and Survivors

• Of the four crew members onboard, one was killed. The survivors—a Lithuanian, a German, and a Spanish national—are hospitalised.
• Remarkably, all 12 residents of the affected house were safely evacuated and unharmed.

Aftermath and Response

• Local authorities extinguished the fire by 7:33 a.m.
• Departures from Vilnius Airport faced delays but were not suspended.
• Lithuanian officials, including the Counter-intelligence Chief Darius Jauniskis, stated that terrorism cannot yet be ruled out, although preliminary indications suggest technical or human error.

Eyewitness and Camera Footage

• Security footage captured the plane’s descent, a fireball erupting upon impact, and subsequent black smoke rising into the sky.

Ongoing Investigations

• Lithuanian police and prosecutors are leading the inquiry, with evidence collection expected to take a week or more.
• Both Swiftair and DHL confirmed that the cause remains unknown and investigations are underway.

The incident has drawn attention to the safety of aging cargo aircraft like the Boeing 737-400 and underscores the potential risks faced in densely populated areas near airports. With terrorism not completely ruled out, the crash highlights the importance of rigorous investigative protocols to rule out all possibilities.
Source: CNN