Chinese officials announced Saturday that a small aircraft that struck a building in Beijing the previous day had claimed the life of the pilot and left 13 people injured.
Authorities in the Chaoyang district — a bustling commercial hub in the city — said the two-seat light sport plane hit a high-rise at 5:55 p.m. Friday, resulting in the casualties.
A brief statement posted on WeChat by local authorities did not name the building or the pilot involved. However, the global flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported Friday that the aircraft struck the CITIC Tower, also referred to as China Zun. The tower stands more than 1,700 feet — or 528 meters — tall and is located just east of a major ring road amid a cluster of skyscrapers.
The 108-story CITIC Tower, which is designed in the shape of an ancient Chinese wine vessel, is widely considered one of Beijing’s most iconic skyscrapers and holds the distinction of being the tallest building in the city.
What caused the crash remains unclear, particularly given that Beijing enforces strict controls over its airspace, including a recently implemented ban on drones. Authorities confirmed that an investigation into the incident has been launched.
