A cargo aircraft flying from Germany (Leipzig) crashed outside Vilnius Airport, on Žirnių Street, early on Monday. The incident took place near Lithuania’s Vilnius International Airport, killing one person and injuring three others, officials said.
According to initial information, firefighters rescued three crew members from the wreckage of the plane, one person, a citizen of Spain, was found dead. In the accident a residential building caught fire.
Four people were aboard the cargo plane, according to Lithuania Police, which announced the casualty toll in a statement.
Authorities identified the deceased victim as a Spanish citizen.
The three injured, who were hospitalized, were citizens of Spain, Germany and Lithuanian, it said.
Emergency services have responded promptly, evacuating residents and extinguishing the fire. The traffic in the affected area has since been restored.
The office of the prime minister said a meeting had been held on the crash on Monday morning with officials from the ministry of the interior, ministry of transport and communications, Vilnius international airport, the fire and rescue department, the police department, and the Vilnius city municipality to evaluate the situation and coordinate efforts following the cargo plane crash in Vilnius.
The Vilnius City Municipality is helping the evacuated residents, with the government standing by to provide additional support if required.
The police department, in collaboration with the prosecutor general’s office, has opened a pre-trial investigation into all the circumstances of the crash.
A parallel investigation will be carried out by a specialized unit within the ministry of justice.
During the investigation, the aim will be to determine the actual circumstances of the incident and the reasons that led to it.
“Thankfully, despite the crash occurring in a residential area, no lives have been lost among the local population. The Vilnius City Municipality is assisting those affected, and the Government will provide all support required. The responsible agencies are working diligently,” prime minister Šimonytė said in a statement.
“I urge everyone to have confidence in the investigating authorities’ ability to conduct a thorough and professional investigation within an optimal timeframe. Only these investigations will uncover the true causes of the incident—speculation and guesswork will not help establish the truth,” Šimonytė added.
