Small aircraft crashes into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper

Beijing (CNN) — A small aircraft appeared to have struck the tallest building in China’s capital on Friday afternoon, in a shocking incident in one of the world’s most fortified cities.

Dramatic footage from Beijing posted on social media showed debris falling from the 109-story CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, as well as a tail section of the plane and a broken window of a taxicab on the ground.

A CNN journalist witnessed people evacuated from the skyscraper gathering on the streets near the entrance, along with firetrucks, police cars and an ambulance.

CNN has not yet received an official response from the authorities. The person who answered the phone at the relevant district branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau told CNN they were “not familiar with the situation.” They then referred CNN to another number but the call went unanswered.

CNN has also reached out to the Beijing Muncipality Government as well as a number listed for the aircraft’s owner for information on the incident.

Online images showing the plane’s registration code seemed to point to a domestically manufactured light sport aircraft, a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, owned by a local general aviation company which offers services like pilot training, personal recreational flights and aerial photography.

Unverified flight data from Flightradar24 posted online appeared to show a severely deviated flight path for the aircraft after it took off from Beijing’s Shifosi airport.

Since May 1, the Chinese capital has been effectively drone-free under sweeping new rules. Residents are not allowed to buy, rent or fly drones without government approval within the city’s sprawling jurisdiction.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

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