DHL cargo plane crashes near airport in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius amid concern over alleged Russian sabotage

Vilnius, Lithuania — A DHL cargo airplane crashed early Monday close to the airport in Lithuania’s capital, killing one individual, authorities mentioned as they looked for clues to what precipitated the tragedy. Lithuanian officers, who up to now weeks have been investigating incendiary gadgets allegedly despatched on Western-bound cargo planes, stopped in need of linking the crash with that investigation.

“It’s untimely to affiliate it with something or to make any attributions,” State Safety Division chief Darius Jauniskis advised reporters.

Photos from the crash website within the capital Vilnius confirmed particles from the airplane and packages on fireplace scattered throughout the residential space, which had been cordoned off by the emergency companies.

“We can not rule out the case of terrorism. We have now warned that such issues are potential, we see an more and more aggressive Russia… however we can not make any attributions or level fingers but,” Jauniskis mentioned.

U.S. and European regulation enforcement businesses have been working collectively for weeks to analyze whether or not incendiary gadgets that detonated in July at DHL logistics hubs in Germany and Britain had been half of a bigger operation directed by Russian army intelligence businesses, the very best degree of the Russian authorities, or by outdoors people appearing within the pursuits of Russia, a supply conversant in the matter confirmed to CBS Information in early November.

In keeping with the Lithuanian police, the airplane, flying from the jap German metropolis of Leipzig, skidded a number of hundred yards earlier than hitting the residential home that was set on fireplace, together with smaller buildings and a automotive.

Renatas Pozela, head of the firefighting and rescue division, mentioned one individual from the airplane’s four-member crew died within the crash that occurred because the airplane got here in to land in Vilnius.

Head of Nationwide Disaster Administration Centre Vilmantas Vitkauskas mentioned the residential constructing was efficiently evacuated, with its 12 residents moved to security.

German logistics firm DHL mentioned the cargo plane was operated by its accomplice SwiftAir and had made an “emergency touchdown” in Lithuania.

“We are able to affirm that at this time, at roughly 4:30 am CET, a Swiftair plane, operated by a service accomplice on behalf of DHL, carried out an emergency touchdown about one kilometer [about half a mile] from VNO Airport [Vilnius, Lithuania] whereas en route from LEJ Airport [Leipzig, Germany] to VNO Airport,” it mentioned in an announcement.

Lithuanian police Chief Arunas Paulauskas mentioned investigators had gone to the hospital to speak to the pilots.

It was not instantly clear what precipitated the crash.

Earlier this month Lithuania mentioned it had carried out arrests as a part of a prison probe into the sending of incendiary gadgets on Western-bound planes.

Polish and Lithuanian media mentioned the gadgets, together with electrical massagers implanted with a flammable substance, had been despatched from Lithuania to the U.Ok. in July and might be behind a lorry fireplace outdoors Warsaw.

U.Ok. anti-terrorism police mentioned final month that they had been investigating how a parcel burst into flames at a depot earlier this yr, after an identical case in Germany that officers blamed on Russia. The Lithuanian president’s chief safety advisor mentioned this month that Moscow had been behind the incidents.

“We all know who the supply of those operations is. It’s Russian army intelligence,” Kestutis Budrys advised Ziniu radio. “We can not let this go unanswered as it is going to solely escalate into the brand new sorts of actions.”

Poland and Lithuania, each NATO members bordering Russia who’ve been main allies of Ukraine amid that nation’s efforts to fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion, have ceaselessly warned about Russian-inspired sabotage on EU soil.

The 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment revealed on the finish of October mentioned the U.S. continues to be involved about threats to aviation and air cargo methods, together with the “potential use of the air cargo provide chain to ship hid harmful and probably lethal gadgets.”

The U.S. Transportation Safety Administration mentioned in an announcement in October that it was frequently adjusting its safety posture as essential and would “promptly share any and all related data with our trade companions, to incorporate necessities and proposals that assist them scale back danger.”

“Over the previous a number of months, as a part of a multi-layered safety strategy, TSA labored with trade companions to place further safety measures for U.S. plane operators and international air carriers relating to sure cargo shipments certain for the USA, in keeping with the 2021 TSA Air Cargo Security Roadmap,” the TSA’s assertion famous on the time.