A tragic incident occurred in Eastern Europe when a Boeing 737-400 cargo plane crashed close to a residential zone in Vilnius, Lithuania, early on Monday. Local authorities confirmed that at least one individual, a pilot aboard the aircraft, was killed in the accident. The plane was operated by the Spanish charter company Swiftair for German logistics firm DHL and was en route from Leipzig to Vilnius Airport when it went down around 5:30 a.m.

Reports indicate the crash happened in the municipality of Liepkalnis, narrowly missing a nearby house. Although the impact ignited a fire, the residents of the house were unharmed. As a safety measure, authorities evacuated around a dozen people in the vicinity of the crash site. Among the four crew members on board, one pilot was confirmed dead, while the two surviving crew members, including the second pilot, displayed signs of life and were rescued from the wreckage.

Emergency services arrived promptly at the scene, where firefighters and paramedics worked to control the fire. Renatas Pozela, a spokesperson from the Fire Protection and Rescue Department, remarked on the fortunate circumstances that the plane struck the yard rather than the residence, which helped avert more serious injuries. Local media captured images showing a significant fire in the area alongside emergency responders, yet operations at Vilnius Airport remained unaffected by this tragic accident. Currently, officials are investigating the crash to determine the factors involved in the aircraft’s descent and the subsequent fire.