Beijing’s tallest building, the CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, showed signs of damage on Friday, with images and videos circulating on social media appearing to depict debris from a small aircraft near the skyscraper.
The skyscraper, standing at 528 meters (1,732 feet), is located in Beijing’s Central Business District. Photos shared online suggested a hole or broken glass on one side of the building.
Reports from the Hong Kong-based newspaper South China Morning Post indicated that a small airplane had crashed into the tower. However, the authenticity of the social media images could not be independently confirmed, and they were reportedly removed from the internet shortly after appearing.
Emergency services, including a significant police presence, as well as fire engines and ambulances, were observed outside the building following the incident. The cause of the event remains unclear, and official statements from authorities have not yet been released.