DHL disaster near Vilnius: German minister hints at ‘hybrid incident’ involving the death of Spanish crew member.
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Was it sabotage or a tragic accident? Authorities dig into the tragic DHL cargo crash near Lithuania’s Vilnius Airport, leaving one dead and others fighting for their lives.
Lithuanian residents woke up to chaos on Monday morning, November 25, as a Boeing 737 cargo plane operated by DHL ploughed into a house near Vilnius Airport during its final approach. The crash tragically claimed the life of a Spanish crew member, leaving three others injured, one critically. Remarkably, no one on the ground was harmed, but the nation remains gripped by questions over what- or who – caused the catastrophe.
‘Accident or hybrid attack?’ questions Baerbock
While Lithuania scrambles for answers, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sparked a storm of speculation during the G7 meeting in Italy. Speaking candidly, she suggested that the crash might not have been accidental.
“After last week’s events, we must seriously consider whether this was an accident or another hybrid incident,” she said, hinting at potential Russian involvement. “That shows what volatile times we are living in in the middle of Europe.”
Her remarks follow recent warnings from Western security officials about possible sabotage operations by Russian intelligence, allegedly retaliating against nations supporting Ukraine.
Lithuanian officials tread cautiously.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas was quick to temper the narrative “at the moment, I can say that there are no confirming facts that this was some kind of sabotage or terrorist incident,” he stated. “But the investigation will answer all the questions.”
The head of Lithuanian intelligence, Darius Jauniškis, didn’t rule out foul play entirely, warning that they’ve already flagged the likelihood of such events. He added that Russia’s aggression is escalating, but refused to point any fingers directly.”
Technical failure or human error? Police weigh in
Police General Commissioner Arūnas Paulauskas remained diplomatic, saying the crash might simply stem from technical faults or human error. He stated that investigators were already at the hospital to interview the surviving crew members to find out what happened.
Investigators are also set to liaise with aviation officials to piece together what went wrong.
Experts find nothing unusual in pilot communications
Aviation insiders poured over the communication between the pilots and air traffic control (ATC), shared online post-crash. According to them it all seemed routine. There were no signs of an emergency, no distress, and no technical warnings – nothing unusual was declared. This is one of the big mysteries surrounding the crash.
The Chief of Lithuania’s Aircraft Accident Investigation team, Laurynas Naujokaitis, confirmed that German and Spanish investigators will join the local probe, digging into every detail – from maintenance logs to weather conditions.
Crack team on the case
Germany and Spain aren’t leaving anything to chance. Lithuanian authorities have four investigators from Germany and two from Spain on the way, according to Naujokaitis. Spanish and German investigators will help unravel the mystery.
With Lithuania on high alert and Europe on edge, one thing is clear: whether a tragic blunder or a calculated strike, the crash has sent shockwaves far beyond Vilnius.
Timeline of tragedy
- November 25, early morning: DHL-operated Boeing 737 crashes into a house near Vilnius Airport during landing.
- Casualties: One Spanish crew member was killed; three injured, including one critically.
- Speculation rises: German Foreign Minister floats the possibility of a hybrid attack.
- Investigations begin: Lithuanian authorities, with help from German and Spanish experts, comb through the wreckage.
The wait for answers begins. Sabotage or slip-up? Only time – and the investigators – will tell.
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