Cargo Plane Crashes Near Vilnius Airport, Killing One Crew Member

A cargo plane crash near Vilnius Airport, Lithuania, early Monday morning claimed the life of one crew member, while three others, including the pilot, survived. The plane skidded into a residential house and erupted in flames, but all 12 occupants of the home were safely evacuated, according to local authorities.

The aircraft, en route from Leipzig, Germany, was approaching Vilnius Airport when it went down just a few kilometers from the runway. Rescue services said the plane hit the ground and slid at least 100 metres before crashing into the building.

The DHL aircraft was operated by Swiftair, a Madrid-based contractor. An airport spokesperson said the plane was a 31 year old Boeing 737-400

Footage from a nearby security camera captured the moment the plane descended and disappeared behind a building. Seconds later, a fireball lit up the sky, followed by a column of thick black smoke.

“One crew member was found without any signs of life,” said Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center, as reported by public broadcaster LRT. He emphasized it was too early to determine the cause of the crash, with investigations into the incident still underway.

Two of the surviving crew members were hospitalized. Authorities confirmed that all four individuals on board have been accounted for, and there were no injuries reported among residents on the ground.

The crash occurred around 5:30 a.m. local time (10:00 p.m. ET) near Zirniu Street, south of Vilnius. Rescue and firefighting teams from Vilnius Airport and city emergency services responded swiftly to the scene.

Police reported the causes of the crash are being investigated, most likely technical causes or human error, but terrorism as another possibility can not be ruled out. Investigators are currently at the hospital hoping to be able to interview the pilot. Collection of evidence could take a week.

This You Tube video shows the thick smoke immediately after the crash

“The city’s special services are managing rescue efforts alongside Vilnius Airport’s fire crews,” an airport spokesperson said.

Departures from Vilnius Airport faced delays Monday morning due to ongoing rescue efforts following the crash of a cargo plane near the runway. At around 7.20 a.m., aircraft were able to land and depart from Vilnius Airport according to airport notifications.

The plane, operated by Swift Air under contract with DHL, crashed about one kilometer from the airport during what DHL described as a “forced landing.” In a statement to CNN, the logistics company said four crew members were onboard and noted, “The status of the crew is still being clarified.” The company added that the cause of the crash remains unknown, pending investigation.

A replay of the flight route including speed and altitude can be seen at FlightRadar24

According to Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas, the plane narrowly avoided hitting the residential house it ultimately collided with, instead crashing into the courtyard, public broadcaster LRT reported. Firefighters were seen dousing the area with water as thick smoke poured into the sky.

Initial reports suggest there was no explosion before the crash, a spokesperson for the National Crisis Management Center told Reuters. However, the investigation is examining all possibilities.

Arūnas Paulauskas, head of the Lithuanian Police, said the crash was “most likely due to a technical fault or human error,” while noting that terrorism “cannot be ruled out.” He emphasized that a thorough investigation could take at least a week to yield concrete answers. “This is one of the scenarios being considered, and a lot of evidence needs to be collected and analyzed,” Paulauskas said.