Small Aircraft Impacts Beijing’s Tallest Skyscraper, Triggering Immediate Information Blackout

A massive emergency response was triggered on Friday after a small aircraft collided with the CITIC Tower, Beijing’s tallest skyscraper, according to a report from The Associated Press. The incident has been followed by an immediate information blackout enforced by Chinese authorities.

Social media footage and photographs suggest the aircraft struck the 108-story tower, leaving a significant hole in the structure before plummeting to the ground. Emergency responders, including police, fire, and EMS personnel, were seen securing the perimeter and preventing witnesses from documenting the scene.

Eyewitnesses captured footage from nearby buildings showing fire crews battling smoke emanating from the 528-meter (1,732-foot) tower, with wreckage visible at the base of the building. An employee inside the high-rise reported that the collision triggered the building’s fire alarm systems.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 identifies the aircraft as a Sunward SA 60L Aurora. The plane reportedly took off approximately 30 miles east of the city and crashed shortly before 6 p.m. local time. According to air traffic data, the ADS-B tracking provides only a partial flight path that terminates prior to the impact.

While reports and visuals of the crash have circulated on X after bypassing China’s “Great Firewall,” domestic censors have aggressively removed mentions of the event from the country’s restricted internet. As of Friday afternoon, neither government officials nor state-run media outlets have released any information regarding the incident.

Details regarding the cause of the crash, the identity of the pilot, and the total number of casualties remain unknown. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.

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