Aircraft crashes into Beijing's tallest tower, evacuations

A small aircraft crashed into the CITIC Tower, Beijing's tallest skyscraper, on Friday, June 26, 2026, triggering a large-scale evacuation and emergency response. The incident occurred at approximately 6 p.m. local time in the city's central business district.

The aircraft, identified by multiple sources as a domestically manufactured Sunward SA60L Aurora light sport plane with registration B12PP, struck the upper floors of the 109-story building. Visual evidence from the scene showed at least two shattered windows on the facade, with debris, including what appeared to be a section of the plane's tail, falling to the streets below. Smoke was reported at the impact site and near wreckage on the ground.

Emergency services, including fire engines, ambulances, and dozens of police cars, quickly arrived at the scene. Authorities evacuated the tower and cordoned off the surrounding area, closing roads and restricting access. Police were observed preventing bystanders from taking photographs and instructing some to delete images they had captured.

The full scope of casualties remains unclear. While some reports indicated individuals inside the building sustained injuries, there was no...