Authorities in Beijing have identified the pilot killed in last week's plane crash into the city's tallest building as a 66-year-old man surnamed Liu, as officials sought to address growing speculation over the rare incident.
The Chaoyang District Government said Liu had deviated from his approved flight path before losing contact with air traffic control and crashing into the 108-storey CITIC Tower, the headquarters of CITIC Group.
Officials said Liu, a Beijing native, had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, adding that the crash was caused by "personal reasons".
The statement said Liu's diary contained repeated references to ending his life, suggesting investigators are treating the incident as a possible suicide.
The crash has raised fresh questions about aviation security in China, where strict airspace controls make such incidents extremely rare.
The aircraft reportedly entered an area near a permanent no-fly zone and crossed restricted airspace close to Beijing Capital International Airport before impact. The building is located just a few kilometres from Zhongnanhai, the leadership compound used by Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials.
Chinese authorities have since confirmed that 13 people on the ground were injured in the crash. None of the injuries was life-threatening, and at least one person has already been discharged from hospital.
Investigators identified the aircraft as a two-seat Sunward SA60L operated by a Beijing-based general aviation company.
Flight-tracking data reviewed by Reuters showed the aircraft took off from Shifo Temple Airport in Pinggu District, flew several loops over the north-eastern outskirts of the city, then veered towards central Beijing before disappearing near the CITIC Tower.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of China's expanding "low-altitude economy" — a government-backed initiative to develop private aviation and drone industries — with analysts saying the breach could prompt tighter oversight of general aviation near politically sensitive areas.
The incident occurred just days before the Chinese Communist Party marked its 105th anniversary.
Online discussion of the crash has largely been removed from Chinese social media, although some users questioned how the aircraft was able to breach tightly controlled airspace.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fight...
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Châtelet-Les Halles areas from 11pm Saturday until 6am Sunday (1 November).
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education and living costs. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment