Pilot dies, 13 Injured as aircraft crashes into Beijing skyscraper

A pilot was killed when his small aircraft crashed into Beijing’s tallest building, with 13 people also injured, Chinese authorities said on Saturday without elaborating on the cause of the rare incident.

Witnesses of Friday’s crash reported plane debris at the base of the 528-metre (1,732-foot) CITIC Tower, with AFP journalists at the scene seeing a hole in the windows of one of the building’s upper floors.

Authorities in the capital’s Chaoyang District said in a statement shared on WeChat that “a single-engine, two-seat light aircraft crashed into a high-rise building” at 5:55 pm (0955 GMT) on Friday.

“The only person on board was the pilot, who died, and 13 people were injured at the scene,” said the statement, the first official comment about the incident.

It said authorities were “conducting further investigation into the incident”.

Video footage taken by a witness from a nearby building showed fire trucks blasting water at small flames on the ground, as well as what appeared to be part of the plane beside the building.

Police and ambulances swarmed the area, with officers blocking people from taking photos.

A student at the scene told AFP he rushed to the building as soon as information about the crash was shared in a social media group for aviation enthusiasts.

Images and posts online were being rapidly deleted, he said.

The CITIC Tower, which has 108 floors above ground and seven below, is able to accommodate 12,000 office workers.

China imposes strict restrictions on its airspace, particularly around Beijing’s urban area, citing public security.

In April, China announced it was banning the sale of drones in Beijing and would require users to apply for permission for all flights in the capital.

While the cause of Friday’s crash remains unclear, the apparent censorship of images and information could suggest an attempt to downplay any possible security lapse.

The statement issued on Saturday received virtually no coverage on Chinese media outlets.

AFP