Three other individuals on board sustained injuries, with at least one reported in critical condition. The wreckage was engulfed in flames and smoke as emergency crews worked to control the fire.
Lithuanian officials indicated that there was currently no evidence of sabotage, although German authorities are investigating a series of fires linked to incendiary devices concealed in parcels at a Leipzig warehouse for DHL earlier this year. The investigation into Monday's crash is also being conducted by German authorities.
European nations have voiced ongoing concerns regarding the security of civilian infrastructure, a sentiment that resurfaced following the unexplained severing of two fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea last week. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock remarked,
"The fact that we, together with our Lithuanian and Spanish partners, must now seriously ask ourselves whether this was an accident or, after last week, another hybrid incident shows what volatile times we are currently living in, even in the centre of Europe," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.
"The German authorities are working very closely with the Lithuanian authorities to get to the bottom of this," she added.
The Boeing 737-400 jet, which crashed at 0330 GMT, was operated by Swiftair on behalf of DHL, having departed from Leipzig, Germany at 0208 GMT, as reported by Flightradar24.
Darius Jauniskis, the head of Lithuanian counter-intelligence, stated, "We cannot dismiss the possibility of terrorism... However, at this moment, we cannot assign blame or make accusations, as we lack sufficient information."
A senior intelligence official from Europe indicated that all possibilities remain on the table. DHL reported that the aircraft, arriving from Leipzig, "made a forced landing" approximately one kilometer (0.6 miles) from VNO airport, with the cause of the incident still under investigation. Lithuanian authorities noted that there were no indications of any unusual circumstances from the pilots during their radio communications with the plane.
Marius Baranauskas, the head of the Lithuanian National Aviation Authority, stated, "In the recorded conversation between the pilots and the control tower, the pilots did not report any extraordinary events until the very last moment." He emphasized the necessity of examining the black boxes to understand the situation aboard the aircraft.
Kotryna Ciupailaite, a resident of Vilnius, recounted that the plane flew low over her vehicle as she was commuting to work. "The right wing of the aircraft dipped before it crashed, as if attempting to maneuver. I saw something shiny emerging from the right side, resembling sparks or flames, just before it hit the ground," Ciupailaite described. She provided a video to Reuters, filmed through her car's windshield shortly after the crash, which depicted a large fire visible beyond a line of trees. "Oh my God," she could be heard exclaiming in the footage.
Swiftair confirmed that the plane crashed in a residential area near Vilnius airport and established a call center to support the families of those affected.
The aircraft broke apart upon impact. Security camera footage captured the plane descending behind a warehouse, followed by a brilliant display of red and orange light illuminating the night sky, accompanied by thick plumes of dark smoke. Rescue services reported that the plane struck the ground, fragmented, and traveled over 100 meters (110 yards), with some debris impacting a nearby house, prompting the evacuation of its 14 residents.
"Only thorough investigations will provide answers regarding the true causes of the incident. Speculation and conjecture will not aid in uncovering the truth," stated Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.
STANDARD PARCELS
A spokesperson for the Lithuanian police reported that a Spanish national lost their life in the incident, while three others—citizens from Spain, Germany, and Lithuania—sustained injuries. DHL has initiated its own inquiry into the crash, as stated by a representative from the company's Lithuanian division.
"The aircraft was transporting standard parcels. We have no evidence to suggest that any of the parcels were suspicious," she noted. The aircraft was recorded to be 31 years old, according to data from Flightradar24. A Boeing spokesperson indicated that the company is seeking further information and is prepared to offer assistance.
In addition to the investigations in Germany, British authorities are looking into a warehouse fire in Birmingham that occurred in July, which was ignited by a package. They are collaborating with other European law enforcement agencies to determine if there is a link to similar incidents in other locations.