A DHL cargo plane traveling from Leipzig, Germany, crashed near Vilnius, Lithuania, early Monday, killing one of the four crew members onboard, local officials reported.
The Boeing 737-476, operated by Swiftair, went down in Liepkalnis, a residential area near Vilnius Airport, where it had been scheduled to land. Emergency responders were alerted to the crash at 5:28 a.m. and arrived at the scene within six minutes. One pilot was pronounced dead at the site, while the other was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
The cockpit had separated from the plane’s fuselage, according to medical personnel at the scene. Thirteen residents from a nearby building were evacuated without injuries.
The crash temporarily disrupted operations at Vilnius Airport. One incoming flight was diverted to Riga, Latvia, while other departures experienced delays. By 7:20 a.m., air traffic resumed, according to airport officials.
Photos and videos from the crash site showed the wreckage close to a residential building along Žirnių Street. The Lithuanian airport authority confirmed that emergency services, including fire and rescue teams, responded promptly, ensuring public safety.
Peoplesmind has reached out to DHL, headquartered in Bonn, Germany, for further comment on the incident.
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