VILNIUS - A DHL cargo plane crashed early Monday near the airport in Lithuania’s capital, killing one person, authorities said as they searched for clues to what caused the tragedy. Lithuanian officials, who in the past weeks have been probing alleged acts of sending incendiary devices on Western-bound cargo planes, stopped short of linking the crash with that investigation. “So far, there are no signs or evidence suggesting this was sabotage or a terrorist act,” Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas told reporters, adding the probe to establish the cause could take “about a week”. Images from the crash site in the capital Vilnius showed debris from the plane and packages on fire scattered across the residential area cordoned off by the emergency services.
“We cannot rule out the case of terrorism. We have warned that such things are possible, we see an increasingly aggressive Russia... but we cannot make any attributions or point fingers yet,” State Security Department chief Darius Jauniskis said.
According to the Lithuanian police, the plane, flying from the eastern German city of Leipzig, skidded several hundred metres, hitting the residential house which was set on fire, smaller buildings, and a car.
The firefighters confirmed one person from the plane’s four-member crew died in the crash that happened as the plane was due to land in Vilnius.
Police later said the deceased person was Spanish, and that the remaining three crew members were Spanish, German and Lithuanian nationals.
Head of National Crisis Management Centre Vilmantas Vitkauskas said the residential building was successfully evacuated, with its 12 residents moved to safety.
“We were woken by the sound of an explosion. Through the window, we saw the wave of explosions and a cloud of fire. Like fireworks,” Stanislovas Jakimavicius who lives around 300 metres (985 feet) from the crash site told AFP.