A DHL-operated Swiftair Boeing 737-400 cargo plane registration EC-MFE crashed near Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania this morning. The aircraft, performing flight QY-5960, departed from Leipzig Airport, Germany, at 02:08 GMT. About 80 minutes later, the plane was on final approach to Vilnius’ runway 19.

Communication with air traffic control remained routine until about four nautical miles from the runway, after which the crew failed to check in with the control tower.

The plane crashed into a two-story residential building about 0.9 nautical miles from the runway. It skidded several hundred meters before impact, bursting into flames upon collision. The building was set on fire, along with nearby smaller structures and a car. Emergency services successfully evacuated all 12 residents from the building without injuries.

DHL refers to the incident as an emergency landing attempt. Of the four crew members onboard, one was killed, and three were hospitalized with injuries.

ADS-B data suggested the aircraft was flying at an altitude below the appropriate glide slope for its final approach, with an average descent rate of approximately 972 feet per minute and a ground speed of 149 knots.

A cargo plane flying on behalf of German logistics company DHL crashed near Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania, killing at least one person.

Emergency services rushed to the scene of the disaster. https://t.co/1l1dAT59zY pic.twitter.com/5Ap7GKUtiW

— DW News (@dwnews) November 25, 2024

A #DHL cargo plane crashed during landing at Lithuania's #Vilnius airport vicinity early Monday, killing one pilot, one more is hospitalised in serious condition. Local authorities initiated investigation of plane crash. All options are under investigation including terror act pic.twitter.com/6doak8GRyh

— Petras Austrevicius (@petras_petras) November 25, 2024

I have reconstructed the final minutes of the flight #QY5960 Leipzig #Vilnius operating for #DHL that crashed this morning on final approach.

Higher resolution YT link in reply. pic.twitter.com/21JBaMO5XO

— C Schmitz (@chrisschmitz) November 25, 2024

Lithuanian police and prosecutors are investigating potential causes, including technical failure, human error, and terrorism although there is no evidence of an explosion preceding the crash. U.S. and European law enforcement agencies have been investigating a series of incendiary device incidents at DHL hubs in Germany and Britain earlier this year.