Beijing (Web Desk): A light aircraft crashed into one of Beijing’s tallest buildings on Friday, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people who were not on board, local authorities said, in an unusual accident in the heavily restricted airspace of the Chinese capital.
According to the Chaoyang district government, the incident occurred at 5:55pm (0955 GMT) on June 26 when a single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building near the East Third Ring Road in the Chaoyang area.
Officials said only one person was on board—the pilot—who died in the crash. Thirteen people on the ground were injured and are currently receiving medical treatment. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.
The building struck in the crash was identified as CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, a 528-metre skyscraper located in Beijing’s Central Business District, about six kilometres from the Forbidden City and near key government offices in Zhongnanhai.
Images from the scene showed limited damage to the building’s façade, including a hole where two large glass panels were dislodged. The damaged section was temporarily boarded up by Saturday.
The incident comes amid strict airspace controls in Beijing, including a ban introduced in May on unauthorized drone operations due to security concerns.
The last recorded aircraft crash in Beijing occurred in 2022 when a tourist helicopter went down during a flight between the Changping and Fangshan districts, killing both pilots on board.