There is no evidence of “unlawful interference” with a DHL plane that crashed in Lithuania last November, and pilot error is thought to be behind the incident, Lithuanian officials have said.
Amid heightened concerns over Russian hybrid attacks in Europe, the Boeing 737-400 cargo jet operated by Spain's Swiftair crashed as it came into land at Vilnius airport on November 25.
The plane, which had been flying from Leipzig in Germany, split into pieces on hitting the ground, slid over 100 meters and smashed into a house. One person aboard was killed.
“There is no evidence of any unlawful interference in aviation activities,” said Laurynas Naujokaitis, head of the Ministry of Justice's Safety Investigation Division.
An inspection of the aircraft at the site found no signs of malfunction before it hit the ground, he added.
However, various components of the aircraft have been sent for further examination.
The plane, which had been flying from Leipzig in Germany, split into pieces on hitting the ground, slid over 100 meters and smashed into a house. One person aboard was killed.
“There is no evidence of any unlawful interference in aviation activities,” said Laurynas Naujokaitis, head of the Ministry of Justice's Safety Investigation Division.
An inspection of the aircraft at the site found no signs of malfunction before it hit the ground, he added.
However, various components of the aircraft have been sent for further examination.
‘Human error’
Last week, Lithuania’s Prosecutor General's Office said the “main version” in the plane crash investigation is “human error."
Prosecutors added that the pilot may have deactivated the plane's wing flaps in error.
The aircraft was carrying four crew members. A Spanish crew member was killed while a German, a Lithuanian and the pilot were injured.
The Lithuanian Prosecutor General's Office has asked Spain to question the pilot, a Spanish national, who is recovering from his injuries there.
Last July, several packages burst into flames in DHL warehouses in Poland, Germany and the UK. Polish prosecutors said these were a “test run” to target cargo flights to the U.S. and Canada.
Prosecutors added that the pilot may have deactivated the plane's wing flaps in error.
The aircraft was carrying four crew members. A Spanish crew member was killed while a German, a Lithuanian and the pilot were injured.
The Lithuanian Prosecutor General's Office has asked Spain to question the pilot, a Spanish national, who is recovering from his injuries there.
Last July, several packages burst into flames in DHL warehouses in Poland, Germany and the UK. Polish prosecutors said these were a “test run” to target cargo flights to the U.S. and Canada.
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