Video: twitter/@aviationbrk
26.11.2024, 08:0226.11.2024, 14:21
After a cargo plane crash in Lithuania, the search for the cause of the crash continues. According to the authorities, it is still too early for concrete answers. So far there is no evidence that the crash of the Swift Air plane, which was traveling from Leipzig to Vilnius on behalf of DHL, was caused by sabotage or a terrorist attack. It is not yet clear what exactly happened. It cannot be ruled out that Russia might have something to do with it.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said on ZDF’s “iris heute” when asked whether Russia was behind the crash: ”We are looking at it closely, we cannot say at the moment.” He said: “It could be so.” So-called hybrid forms of warfare are also currently seen in Germany. “That’s why it needs to be examined carefully.” However, a culprit will only be named if this can be comprehensively proven.
Interview with surviving team members
Four people were on board the plane, which hit the ground and crashed for unknown reasons shortly before the intended landing near the airport in a residential area. One of the team members died in the accident early Monday morning, while three others – including a German – are being treated in hospital. According to media reports, the condition of at least one staff member is said to be serious.
Investigators are now hoping the survivors will provide information about the cause of the crash. According to the chief executive of the police Arunas Paulauskas, a conversation has already taken place with one of the injured people in the hospital. There were no signs of unusual activity on board or inside the aircraft, he said on Lithuanian television that evening. It seems that the flight was routine and then there was an impact with the ground.
Video: twitter/@aviationbrk
Look for flight recorders and help from German investigators
The search will also continue for the flight recorder, which, according to Paulauskas, has not yet been found and is said to be in the remains of the completely destroyed machine. The so-called black box can help clarify the cause of the accident. The plane crashed a few kilometers from the airport. More information could also be provided regarding an inspection of the airport’s approach systems by the Polish air traffic control system, which was carried out
According to information from Lithuania, experts from abroad will also participate in the investigation. Four investigators from Germany and two from Spain are expected to arrive in Lithuania, while 12 people from the US are expected to support the search for the cause of the crash – including five from aircraft manufacturer Boeing. According to Swift Air, the plane involved in the accident was a Boeing 737-400. According to the authorities, their debris slid several hundred meters after the accident and damaged a residential building. No one was injured.
Lithuania’s president warns against speculation about the cause of the accident
Suspicion of a possible act of sabotage should not be overemphasized, but neither should it be downplayed. At the same time, such a version cannot be ruled out, Nauseda said on Lithuanian radio this morning.
«I will repeat it: Of course there is the possibility of sabotage, we cannot rule it out. “So this is being investigated seriously,” said the President of Lithuania, who had already looked at the scene of the accident. According to him, there is still not enough information to name the cause of the accident. (sda/dpa)
Baerbock needs a full clarification
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a full investigation into the crash and said authorities in both countries are currently investigating “in all directions”. As well as a technical accident, she did not rule out the possibility that an accident could have happened on purpose. In Europe recently there have been several “hybrid attacks” on individuals or infrastructure, said the Green politician, also in view of the damage done a week ago to two data cables in the Baltic Sea.
According to DHL, there is so far no evidence of suspicious packages on board the plane, and according to Minister Boris Pistorius, the Federal Ministry of Defense still has no information about a possible explosive device. The SPD politician called for increased sensitivity to certain cargo shipments. “At the same time, we also know that security is probably not 100% in this area. But the gaps that exist and have been identified must be closed,” said the Minister and added: “Civil aviation and military aviation both know this.”
The plane crash raises questions and concerns, especially since German security authorities warned at the end of August about “unconventional fire devices” being sent by unknown people through cargo service providers. At the time, security circles linked the warning to an incident at DHL’s logistics center in Leipzig, which serves as the company’s global hub. A package sent from the Baltics containing an incendiary device reportedly caught fire in July. Based on the investigation, arrests were also made in Lithuania, which was confirmed by the Prosecutor General’s Office in Vilnius earlier this month.
Chief Executive of Police: The investigation of the accident site will be completed soon
The chief executive of the Lithuanian police, Arun
The head of the National Center for Crisis Management, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, also spoke about the investigation entering the next phase. The aim is now to “calmly and consistently” examine, evaluate and compare the data and information collected.
This would also include experts coming to Lithuania from other countries, he said. You can then see if the information actually matches the sequence of events that led to the accident.
The Swift Air plane, which was traveling from Leipzig to Vilnius on behalf of DHL, crashed early Monday morning near Vilnius Airport, right next to a residential building. One person was killed.
The Lithuanian authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the accident. German experts are also involved. Investigators should also arrive in Lithuania from Spain and the USA.
Investigators recovered a black box after an accident in Lithuania
With the flight recorders, the investigators found a piece of the puzzle that could be crucial to their investigations. One day after the Swift Air plane crash, the flight data recorder and voice recorder were recovered from the wreckage.
Everyone has known it for a long time: If Donald Trump becomes President of the USA again, Europe will have to heat up when it comes to defending him. The discussion about this has been going on in the political and military committees that are responsible for some time. “Until now, however, words have not been followed by actions,” notes the “Financial Times” in a background analysis, quoting a senior EU security official as follows: “However, you face it , the burden of protection will be greater on the Europeans. to bear. The only question that remains is whether this will be an orderly or chaotic process.”
Area. The single-engine Boeing 737-400 was reportedly engaged in routine transport operations for DHL when it unexpectedly went down, resulting in the tragic loss of one crew member, while three others sustained serious injuries.
Authorities are focusing on gathering information from the survivors to help determine the cause of the crash. Investigations are ongoing, with a conversation already held with one of the injured individuals currently receiving treatment in the hospital. So far, officials have revealed that there were no signs of any unusual activity onboard at the time of the accident.
Efforts to locate the flight recorder, or black box, are underway as it could provide crucial insights into the events leading up to the crash. German and Spanish investigators are expected to join the inquiry, with support also coming from the United States, including personnel from Boeing.
Amidst these developments, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has urged the public to avoid speculative conclusions regarding the potential causes of the crash. While he acknowledged the possibility of sabotage, he recommended awaiting factual information before jumping to conclusions.
The situation raises significant concerns given recent warnings by German security agencies regarding potential threats to aviation security, linking it to past incidents with suspicious cargo. In light of this, an in-depth investigation is crucial not only to determine what happened in this instance but to enhance overall safety in air transport.