A small plane crashed into the CITIC Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Beijing, on Friday, resulting in a significant emergency response. Video footage shows the aircraft creating a large hole in the 108-story building, located in the city's business district. Emergency services, including police and fire personnel, arrived at the scene to manage the situation and restrict access to the area.
The aircraft, identified as a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, took off from approximately 30 miles east of Beijing and crashed shortly before 6 p.m. local time. Flight tracking data indicates that the flight path is only partially available, with information stopping prior to the crash.
Witnesses reported that the crash triggered the building's fire alarms. Photos and videos of the incident circulated on social media despite attempts by Chinese authorities to control the dissemination of information. As of Friday afternoon, no official statements regarding the cause of the crash, the identity of the pilot, or any potential casualties have been released by government officials or state-run media. The White House has not yet commented on the incident.