Video Captures Gaping Hole in Skyscraper After Small Plane Crash

Footage from Beijing showed a major emergency response Friday after a small aircraft crashed into the city’s tallest skyscraper, an incident followed by a swift clampdown on information by Chinese authorities, according to The Associated Press.

Images and videos circulating on social media appeared to show the plane falling to the ground after tearing a sizable opening in the 108-story CITIC Tower, a landmark in the Chinese capital’s central business district.

Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel were seen around the site, where they worked to move people away and stop bystanders from taking pictures.

One person who was inside the tower at the time said the impact set off the building’s fire alarms.

Flight data from Flightradar24 identified the aircraft as a Sunward SA 60L Aurora. The plane had departed from an area roughly 30 miles east of Beijing and went down just before 6 p.m. local time.

According to air traffic data, ADS-B information for the aircraft showed only part of its route and ended before the crash occurred.

The AP reported that photos and videos of the incident escaped the country’s “great firewall” and were circulated on social media platform X, though Chinese censors have removed content about the crash from the country’s restricted internet. 

No information has been released by government officials or state-run media, as of Friday afternoon.

The cause of the crash, identity of the pilot, and the number of casualties remain unclear.

The White House did not immediately respond to News Agency’s request for comment.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.