The tallest building in China’s capital appeared to have been hit by a small aircraft on Friday afternoon, in a rare and shocking incident in one of the world’s most fortified cities, according to CNN.
Videos posted on social media showed debris falling from the 109-story CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, as well as the plane’s tail section and a taxicab with a broken window at street level.
A CNN journalist on the scene witnessed evacuated people gathering outside the building, while fire trucks, police cars and an ambulance responded to the incident. Moreover, CNN has requested information and further details from the Beijing Municipal Government and the aircraft owner’s listed representative.
Online images appeared to show the aircraft’s registration number that suggested it was a domestically built Sunward SA60L Aurora light sport aircraft owned by a local general aviation company. This firm mainly offers pilot training, sightseeing flights and aerial photography services.
Crucially, unverified Flightradar24 flight data circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a dramatic deviation from its intended flight path.
Beijing has effectively been a drone-free city since May under new regulations. Therefore, residents are prohibited from purchasing, renting or flying drones anywhere within the capital’s extensive jurisdiction without government authorization.
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