A pilot flying a private aircraft is dead after crashing into the tallest building in Beijing on Friday, June 26.
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The plane smashed into the 109-story CITIC Tower, causing debris to plummet to the ground below.
Thirteen people who were not on board were injured in the high-altitude collision. The pilot, who was the lone passenger, died in the wreck, Reuters reported, citing the Chaoyang district government.
"A single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building while flying near the East Third Ring Road in Chaoyang, at ?5:55 p.m. (0955 GMT) on June 26," the district government said, per the outlet. "There was only one person on ?board, the pilot, who died."
Damage to the exterior of the skyscraper appeared to be limited to a hole caused by the loss of two ?large glass panels. The gap had been temporarily boarded up as of Saturday.
CITIC Tower is One of the World's Tallest Buildings
The 528-meter-high building, known as CITIC Tower or China Zun, ?is in Beijing's Central Business District. The massive skyscraper attracts thousands of tourists yearly.
CITIC Tower, which opened in 2019, is the tallest building in Beijing and the 10th-tallest building in the world, standing 1,732 feet tall.
A mail worker told Reuters he heard a crash from a nearby building around 6 p.m., after which he ran outside and saw an aircraft the size of a car crash into the Beijing building.
"It was so loud - louder than fireworks," he said of the crash.
Police and fire department officials assisted with clearing debris from the area. Witnesses were instructed to evacuate the area and delete any photos or videos taken of the devastating scene.
The crash continues a worrisome trend of planes crashing or making emergency landings in 2026.
Earlier this month, millionaire tech mogul Joshua Baer was killed in a private plane crash in Texas.
The aircraft crashed on a Texas highway and into an oncoming vehicle, shutting down traffic in both lanes.
Six people were involved in the violent crash, which resulted in the aircraft becoming engulfed in flames.
Baer is the only reported casualty in the tragic incident. All survivors were transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
