A small plane crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the 109-story CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, CNN reports. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing CNN.
Footage posted on social media shows debris falling from the building's facade. On the ground, witnesses spotted the tail section of the aircraft and a damaged taxi with a shattered window.
People were evacuated from the skyscraper. Firefighters, police, and ambulances arrived at the scene.
According to preliminary data, the building may have been struck by a Chinese-made light sport aircraft Sunward SA 60L Aurora, owned by the local aviation company Starair Aircraft Co. Data from Flightradar24 published online indicates that the aircraft deviated significantly from its route before the collision.
Reuters reports that police have closed roads leading to the skyscraper, restricted access to the scene, and banned passersby from filming.
Chinese authorities have not yet commented on the incident. The incident has drawn particular attention because Beijing is considered one of the most guarded cities in the world, and since May, strict restrictions have been in place in the capital, even on the use of drones.
Earlier, Kursiv reported on a collision of two helicopters in the skies over Rio de Janeiro, which resulted in 14 deaths.