Beijing: A shocking incident has been reported from China, where a small aircraft crashed into China’s tallest building on 26 June, triggering panic among commuters and prompting a large-scale response. According to the authorities, no casualties have been reported so far, while the exact cause of the crash has not been determined. The incident took place at the CITIC Tower, famously known as China Zun, which is a landmark skyscraper that serves as the headquarters of the state-owned CITIC Group.
Rescue Teams Launch Evacuation Operations
After hearing about the incident, rescue teams, firefighters, and police personnel rushed to the spot to evacuate and safeguard occupants. According to the reports, hundreds of people were rescued from the affected area. Authorities quickly cordoned off the surrounding area and launched emergency operations to secure the site. The security around the building significantly increased following the incident, and multiple roads that lead to the building have been blocked as the rescue team and assessment work are underway. Moreover, the police have instructed the commuters to move away from the area.
Aircraft Crashes Into Beijing’s Tallest Skyscraper | Watch
A single-engine Sunward SA-60L Aurora aircraft with registration B-12PP, flown by a lone pilot struck the CITIC tower in Beijing, reportedly around the mid-levels, around 65th floor area today.
The aircraft was completely damaged on impact, also made a visible hole in the glass… pic.twitter.com/ffgTdTffmE
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) June 26, 2026
Onlookers captured the incident on their mobile phones and shared it on social media platforms, where it is going viral. In the video, it can be seen that part of the aircraft’s tail section was lying near the building, while the window of a taxi parked nearby was seen shattered by the falling debris. In some other videos, the debris falling from the upper floors of the skyscrapers was seen after the impact.
All about the aircraft
The media reports revealed that the aircraft appeared to be a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, which is a fixed-wing light-sport aircraft (LSA) developed by a local general aviation company that is widely used for pilot training, recreational flying, and aerial photography and is notable for being China’s first domestically branded and certified LSA. Meanwhile, media reports cited unverified flight tracking data from Flightradar24, which appeared to show that the aircraft had deviated significantly from its expected flight path before crashing into the skyscraper. However, the flight data has not been independently verified.
What is the cause of the incident?
Following the incident, Chinese authorities have not yet disclosed what caused the aircraft to strike the building. They have also not released any official information related to the number of injuries or fatalities yet. Multiple angles are yet to be investigated, the authorities claim, and the current cause of the incident still is unknown.
