Ololade Adeyanju/
A small aircraft crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, smashing glass panels high up the building and triggering a major emergency response as Chinese authorities sealed off the area and launched an investigation into the rare incident.
The aircraft struck the 108-storey CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, in Beijing’s central business district at about 6pm local time.
Witnesses said the impact sent debris tumbling onto nearby streets, forcing pedestrians to flee while emergency services rushed to the scene.
Police swiftly cordoned off surrounding roads, deployed dozens of officers, firefighters and ambulances, and prevented members of the public from photographing the damaged skyscraper.
Several eyewitnesses told Reuters they were instructed to delete images and videos taken at the scene, while posts relating to the crash rapidly disappeared from Chinese social media.
The CITIC Tower, headquarters of the state-owned CITIC Group, stands 528 metres (1,732 feet) tall and is the tallest building in the Chinese capital.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud bang moments before noticing damage to the building.
“It was so loud, louder than fireworks,” one courier told Reuters after rushing to the scene.
Photographs verified by the Associated Press showed visible damage to the tower’s glass façade, with at least two exterior panels shattered on an upper floor.
Building occupants were evacuated as a precaution while emergency crews assessed the damage.
Authorities had not released any official information on casualties or injuries at the time of writing, and it remains unclear whether anyone besides the pilot was on board the aircraft.
The cause of the crash is also yet to be determined.
According to local reports cited by several media outlets, the pilot, identified as Liu Junhua, had departed from Shifosi Airport at about 5.30pm on a solo training flight.
While preparing to return for landing approximately 10 minutes later, the aircraft reportedly failed to join the designated approach for Runway 18, deviated from approved airspace and continued west on a constant heading before striking the skyscraper.
However, Chinese authorities have not officially confirmed those flight details or the pilot’s identity.
The incident has raised immediate questions because Beijing maintains some of the world’s most tightly controlled airspace, particularly over the city centre, where general aviation flights are heavily restricted.
Officials have yet to announce when the investigation’s preliminary findings will be released.
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