DHL Air Cargo Plane Makes Forced Landing Outside Lithuanian Airport

DHL has confirmed that an aircraft of Swiftair, a third-party carrier operating under contract for DHL, which was on its way from LEJ Airport (Leipzig, Germany) to VNO Airport (Vilnius, Lithuania), made a forced landing about one kilometer from VNO Airport.

The cause of the accident is still unknown and an investigation is already underway.

The crash killed one person in what Germany's foreign minister later said could be an accident or a hybrid attack in "volatile times".

The three other people onboard were injured, and at least one of them was in critical condition. Flames and smoke engulfed the wrecked plane as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the Lithuanian defense minister, said “there were definitely no external factors that could have damaged the plane.”

“We can clearly see that,” Kasčiūnas said. “However, to find out what happened inside the plane, it will be necessary to interview the surviving crew members. And of course, the black box. That will take some time.”

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