Investigation into the cause is ongoing

The search continues after a cargo plane crashed in Lithuania. Authorities said it was too early to give specific answers. So far, there is no evidence that sabotage or a terrorist attack caused the crash of a Swift Air plane flying from Leipzig to Vilnius on behalf of DHL. What exactly happened remains unclear. Russian involvement cannot be ruled out.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), when asked on DF2's Hauptjournal whether Russia was behind the crash, said: “We are following the matter closely, but at the moment it is not clear whether Russia was behind the crash. You can't say that.” He added: “That may be the case. “So-called hybrid forms of warfare can also be seen in Germany. “That's why a closer look is needed.” However, the culprit will only be revealed if this can be fully proven.

Interview with surviving crew members

There were four people on board the plane, which crashed for unknown reasons shortly before it was scheduled to land in a residential area near the airport. One crew member died in the crash early Monday morning and three others, including a German, are being treated in hospital. According to media reports, at least one crew member is said to be seriously injured.

Investigators now hope survivors can come forward with information about the cause of the crash. Police Chief Arunas Paulauskas said he had spoken to one of the injured at the hospital. That evening, he told Lithuanian television that there was no sign of any unusual activity on or inside the plane. It appeared as if the flight was normal and then impacted with the ground.

Search for flight recorders and seek help from German investigators

Paulauskas said the search would also continue for the flight recorder, which according to Paulauskas has not yet been found and is said to be in the wreckage of the completely destroyed machine. So-called black boxes can help clarify the cause of the accident. The plane crashed a few kilometers from the airport. Following the accident, Polish air traffic control carried out a check of the airport's approach system as part of a previously planned routine inspection and could also provide more information.

According to Lithuania, foreign experts will also participate in the investigation. Four investigators from Germany and two from Spain are expected to arrive in Lithuania, and 12 investigators from the United States are also expected to support the search for the cause of the crash, including five from aircraft manufacturer Boeing. According to Swift Air, the aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-400. Debris slid hundreds of meters after the crash, damaging a residential building, authorities said. No one was injured.

Bell Bock demands full clarification

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock called for a full investigation into the crash and said authorities in both countries were now investigating “all aspects”. In addition to a technical accident, she also did not rule out the possibility that someone deliberately caused the crash. The Green Party politician said there had been several recent “hybrid attacks” in Europe targeting individuals or infrastructure, also targeting the damage to two data cables in the Baltic Sea that occurred a week ago.

According to DHL, there is so far no evidence that there was a suspicious package on the plane, while Minister Boris Pistorius said that the federal defense ministry did not have any information about the possible presence of explosive devices. The SPD politician called for greater sensitivity to certain shipments. “At the same time, we also know that there is probably no 100% safety in this area. But there are existing and recognized gaps that must be bridged,” the minister said, adding: “Both civil aviation and military aviation know this.”

The plane crash raised questions and fears, especially because German security authorities warned in late August that unidentified people were sending “unconventional incendiary devices” through cargo service providers. At the time, security services linked the warning to an incident at the DHL logistics center in Leipzig, the company's global hub. A package containing an incendiary device allegedly caught fire in July after being sent from the Baltic countries. A number of arrests have also been made in Lithuania based on the investigation, which the Vilnius Prosecutor General's Office confirmed earlier this month. (Sudanese Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)

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