Small Aircraft Crashes into Skyscraper in Beijing

On Friday, various news outlets with teams in Beijing reported a small aircraft, described by Reuters as being “the size of a car,” crashed into the CITIC Tower, the tallest building in the city.

Simultaneously, local Chinese police began warning witnesses against taking photographs and pressured them to delete any images they might have taken on their phones. At that moment, Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times had not covered the incident. Additionally, searches related to the building’s name on state-controlled social media seemed to be censored, stifling conversation on the topic.

Currently, there are scant images of the crash and its aftermath. A Hong Kong newspaper, Mingpao, was one of the few to release a photo that captured terrified pedestrians fleeing the scene and smoke rising from the base of the tower.

Some Indian media outlets disseminated videos on social media, but many were likely removed as Chinese authorities increased censorship on-site. The footage reportedly does not indicate significant damage to the tower itself; however, it reveals a more pressing concern: large debris might fall from the 109-story structure, posing a risk to those below.

A Twitter account, Mr. Li is not your teacher, known for sharing censored content from China, shared various photos alleging to be from the crash scene, including one taken from a neighboring high-rise building. However, it’s important to note that Breitbart News could not verify the authenticity of these images.

This account also posted an image purported to be of the involved aircraft.

According to Mingpao, as of Friday afternoon, local authorities had not offered any clarity on what transpired. The number of casualties remains unclear, along with the plane’s passengers and their origin. China has strict regulations regarding aircraft, including drones, so how this plane ended up over such a crowded area is puzzling.

Another newspaper noted that it was unclear whether there were any injuries associated with the crash or how many were aboard the aircraft. The police and medical teams surrounded the area, and witnesses reported fleeing the building around 6 p.m. following the crash.

There’s video footage showing the plane colliding with the eastern side of the CITIC Tower, breaking apart mid-air and scattering debris, with some of the wreckage igniting a fire.

Multiple outlets, including Mingpao, CNN, and Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, identified the aircraft as a Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat model manufactured in China. Mingpao reported that the plane was owned by Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation, a firm focused on tourism and aerial tours.

A Twitter account called The Great Translation Movement (TGTM), which aims to share uncensored news from China, reported that the company is associated with Oriental Fashion, a prominent driving school that has branched into general aviation. They indicated the pilot was flying solo but could not independently verify such details.

Interestingly, there were rumors of the pilot having ties to CITIC, a significant conglomerate closely linked to the Chinese government. However, these claims were not confirmed, as the pilot’s identity remained unknown.

Reports from Beijing echoed this uncertainty. An employee of CNN was present during the incident, confirming details regarding the aircraft model and affirming it was owned by a local aviation company that offers services like pilot training and leisure flights.

Unconfirmed flight data released online suggested the aircraft deviated significantly from its intended course.

The overall lack of information and the subsequent spread of rumors stem primarily from government censorship and control over those wishing to document the crash. Bloomberg News reported that photographers were explicitly instructed by the police to refrain from taking pictures without any justification. Similarly, Reuters noted that some witnesses were ordered to delete their photographs while being ushered out of the building.

Furthermore, social media discussions surrounding the building appeared to be quickly removed, and searches on the Xiaohongshu app for the building’s name yielded no recent posts.

TGTM shared screenshots that purported to show manipulated search results from media regarding the building, which is under the control of the state authorities.