A light aircraft crashed into the tallest building in the heart of downtown Beijing, China.
According to foreign media including the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and CNN on the 26th, a small aircraft collided with the upper floors of the Citic Tower in the central business district of Beijing that afternoon. Immediately after the accident, emergency evacuations were carried out inside and outside the building, and police blocked nearby roads to restrict access to the scene. Ambulances and police personnel were also deployed in the area.
On local social media, images were posted one after another showing debris that appeared to have fallen from the upper part of the building scattered on the road and nearby car windows shattered. Photos of debris presumed to be the aircraft's tail section also spread, and in some photos a marking that appeared to read "B-12" was identified.
Whether there were casualties, how many people were on board, and the exact cause of the accident have not yet been disclosed. Chinese authorities also did not issue a specific position immediately after the accident. Office workers nearby told foreign media they heard a loud sound similar to an explosion at about 5:40 p.m. Some people inside Citic Tower reportedly exited the building about 10 minutes later.
Foreign media reported, based on released photos and aircraft registration information, that the aircraft involved may have been the Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat, single-engine light aircraft made by China's Star Air. The registration number is presumed to be B-12PP. Citing the aircraft-tracking site Flightradar24, CNN said the aircraft appeared to have deviated significantly from its originally planned route.
Citic Tower is a supertall building used as the headquarters of China CITIC Group. Completed in 2018, it has 108 above-ground floors and a height of 528 meters, making it the tallest in Beijing. Because its exterior resembles a traditional Chinese liquor glass, it is also called "China Zun."