A DHL cargo plane traveling from Germany to Lithuania crashed near Vilnius International Airport in the early hours of Monday, leaving one crew member dead, officials confirmed.
According to the AFP, the head of Lithuania’s firefighting and emergency services, Renatas Pozela said “The aircraft was on its approach to Vilnius airport when it went down a few kilometers away.
The four-member crew on board included the deceased victim, Pozela added.
The crash caused a house in the vicinity to catch fire. Fortunately, all residents were safely evacuated, according to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Centre.
Photos from the scene reveal smoldering debris and the wreckage of the plane in the courtyard of a residential property near the crash site.
“The loss of life in this incident is tragic, and we are cooperating fully with authorities to investigate the cause of the accident,” said DHL representative Ausra Rutkauskien, confirming that the aircraft belonged to the company.
Lithuanian law enforcement and emergency personnel remain at the site, working to secure the area and assess damages. Further details on the cause of the crash have not yet been disclosed.
