A pilot was killed and 13 other people were injured after a small aircraft crashed into a high-rise building in Beijing on Friday evening, Chinese authorities said.
According to officials in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, the two-seat light sport aircraft struck the building at around 5:55 pm, causing multiple casualties.
Authorities did not disclose the identity of the pilot or the name of the building involved in the incident.
However, flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft crashed into the 108-story CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, one of Beijing’s most iconic skyscrapers and the tallest building in the Chinese capital.
The tower, which stands 528 metres (1,700 feet) tall, is located in Beijing’s central business district east of one of the city’s major ring roads.
The cause of the crash could not known immediately. The incident has raised questions in a city that maintains strict controls over its airspace, including recent restrictions on drone operations.
Authorities said an investigation into the crash is underway.
