VIDEO: DHL cargo plane crashes in Lithuania, killing one, injuring three

A DHL cargo plane crashed near Vilnius Airport in Lithuania early Monday morning, killing one person on board and injuring three others, Reuters reported.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-400 jet operated by Swiftair on behalf of DHL, had just left Leipzig, Germany, and was attempting to land when it went down at approximately 03:30 GMT. Flames and smoke engulfed the wreckage as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

Debris from the crash struck a nearby house, leading to an evacuation of its 14 residents. Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured.

The plane, which had been carrying standard parcels, was en route from Leipzig when it encountered trouble. The crash occurred roughly one kilometer from the airport, with Lithuanian authorities stating there were no signs of sabotage so far.

However, Germany is investigating a series of fires caused by incendiary devices found inside DHL packages earlier this year, which might be linked to the current incident.

Germany's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said on Monday that the fatal crash of a cargo plane near the airport in Lithuania's capital could either be an accident or a "hybrid incident" involving external factors, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

"We must now seriously consider whether this was simply an accident or if it was another hybrid incident," Baerbock stated to reporters during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Italy. She referenced the recent severing of cables in the Baltic Sea, which officials suspect could have been an act of sabotage.

Lithuania's counter-intelligence chief, Darius Jauniskis, has not ruled out the possibility of terrorism, though no conclusive evidence has been found.

The pilots had not reported any issues before the crash, according to the air traffic control recordings. Lithuanian authorities stated that the flight's final moments would be analyzed through the aircraft's black boxes, which could provide further insights into the cause of the crash.

A Spanish national was confirmed dead, while three other people from Spain, Germany, and Lithuania were injured. DHL stated that the aircraft was carrying regular parcels, with no indication of anything unusual. The company has initiated its own investigation into the cause of the crash.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and German authorities have joined the investigation, with Boeing offering support as the inquiry continues.