Light aircraft crashed into the CITIC Tower in Beijing, while traces of the incident vanished from the internet within hours

A small aircraft crashed into the CITIC Tower on Friday afternoon, the 109-story skyscraper considered the tallest in Beijing and one that stands out in the skyline of the Chinese capital. As a result, the pilot lost his life, while 13 other people were injured.

The impact caused shards of glass and aircraft debris to fall from hundreds of meters above onto the street, spreading fear and chaos in the center of China’s most heavily guarded city.

However, shortly afterward, the situation in the online public space was presented as if the event had never existed. Footage and every mention of the incident were removed from Chinese social media, while authorities initially did not publicly acknowledge that anything had happened. Even state media, including CCTV, the national broadcaster headquartered opposite the crash site, did not report on the case, CNN writes.

According to the report, this is linked to the operation of China’s vast censorship apparatus and the state’s strict control over information, especially regarding events that could bring unwanted attention or negative consequences. As a result, many questions remained unanswered for witnesses and for those who had seen early reports. For nearly a day, it was not even made known how many people had been injured.

Only on Saturday afternoon, local time, did a media outlet linked to the Beijing government announce that a “light single-engine, two-seat sports aircraft crashed into a high-rise building during flight.” According to the same report, the pilot was the only person on board and had died, while 13 people were injured at the scene. It was also said that the case was under “investigation.”

Even now, there is no clarity on whether the crash happened as a result of an accident or was intentional. Another major concern for the authorities appears to be the fact that the incident has raised questions about how the pilot managed to fly over China’s fortified capital, where much of the Communist Party elite lives and where even the use of drones is almost banned.

The accident happened on Friday in the late afternoon, right during rush hour. Footage that circulated online before censorship intervened showed a small plane crashing into the upper floors of the building, which is also known as China Zun.

From images published online, which also showed the aircraft’s registration code, it appeared to be a light sport aircraft made in China, a Sunward SA 60L Aurora. According to the data, it was owned by a local general aviation company that offers pilot training, personal recreational flights and aerial photography.

CNN reported seeing crowds of people evacuating from the skyscraper and gathering on streets near the building’s entrance. Fire trucks, police vehicles and an ambulance were also in the area.

While the videos spread quickly on social media outside mainland China, inside the country the situation was different. A search on Weibo, the Chinese platform considered the local version of X, using the words “plane crash in Beijing” did not produce relevant results.

In China, it is common for authorities to move quickly to censor content or impose an information blackout, as well as to significantly increase the police presence whenever an incident occurs that could be seen as a threat to social stability.

On Saturday, access to streets near the CITIC Tower was restricted and the area was guarded by police. Only people who could prove they worked there were allowed in. According to a CNN journalist, delivery drivers were stuck outside waiting for employees to come out and collect their orders.

Unverified flight data from Flightradar24, shared online, appeared to show a sharp deviation in the plane’s trajectory after it had taken off from Beijing’s Shifosi Airport.

In Beijing, every light aircraft flight must receive approval from both the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army. Last month, the capital approved a sweeping regulation that effectively bans casual recreational flights and consumer drones.

Deadly and highly public incidents in China are often followed by a lack of official information, which in some cases can last for years.

Even after more than four years, Beijing has still not provided an official explanation for the crash of a China Eastern Boeing 737-800 passenger plane in the Guangxi region, an accident that killed 132 people and remains the country’s deadliest air disaster in decades.