Every plane crash is subject to intense scrutiny, but a DHL cargo plane crash in Lithuania on Monday morning has drawn the attention of Europe’s intelligence agencies. The crash killed one crew member and injured three others. The crash is still under investigation but Lithuanian officials haven’t ruled out terrorism considering the uncovered covert Russian effort to put incendiary bombs on DHL planes.
CCTV footage shows the Boeing 737-400 plane was attempting to land at Vilnius International Airport before the aircraft descended out of view. The plane burst into a massive fireball, presumably when it slammed into the ground. Debris from the crash hit a nearby home, but no one on the ground was harmed. So far, the investigation hasn’t unearthed any evidence of sabotage but it is clearly on everyone’s minds, the Associated Press reports. Darius Jauniškis, chief of Lithuanian intelligence, said “Without a doubt, we cannot rule out the terrorism version.”
Russian-linked sabotage efforts first came to light in July after several small explosions happened at DHL logistics hubs in Leipzig, Germany and Birmingham, England. The incendiary devices detonated in Birmingham were shipped there from Lithuania. Five people were arrested on charges related to the sabotage plot and it was believed to be a dry run to down aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean. It nearly happened on a flight out of Leipzig, but delays meant the incendiary went off before they were loaded onto the plane.
Obviously, we won’t know the true cause of the crash until the investigation is complete, but Russian saboteurs could be sowing psychological chaos without lifting a finger.