Beijing skyscraper hit by plane, pilot dead, 13 injured

A single-engine plane crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the CITIC Tower, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people. The incident occurred Friday evening in the Chaoyang district. The aircraft, identified as a Sunward Aurora SA60L, broke apart in mid-air before impacting the building. Burning debris fell onto an awning near the east entrance, and witnesses reported a loud explosion.

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one person died, and 13 were injured when a small plane hit the tallest skyscraper in China's capital.

This is the first official statement from authorities, released a day after the crash. Nearby streets remained blocked by police on Saturday morning, with a visible gap in the skyscraper's eastern facade. Online videos of the aftermath, which appeared before censorship, were quickly removed by authorities.

The strict security measures around the crash site are attributed to the tower's proximity to Zhongnanhai, the heavily guarded residential complex of Chinese President Xi Jinping and top Communist Party officials. The Financial Times reported that police searched a car at Eastern Pioneer Aviation Academy, the likely departure point for the aircraft. The car is registered to an individual whose name matches that of a manager at a company under the Citic group, which is headquartered in the damaged tower.

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the pilot, who was the only person on board, died in the crash. Thirteen other people suffered injuries.

Incidents involving private aviation are extremely rare in China due to stringent air traffic control regulations, particularly in the capital. These regulations were further tightened in May with a ban on drone usage.

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louder than fireworks explosions