5960 - Freighter Crash Near Airport

Swiftair Flight 5960 was a dedicated cargo service from Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) to Vilnius International Airport (VNO) carrying express parcels for DHL. On 25 November 2024 the Boeing 737‑400SF freighter was on final approach to runway 19 at Vilnius when it descended below the glide path and impacted terrain roughly 1 kilometre short of the runway. The aircraft struck trees and came to rest in a grassy area near a residential district, narrowly missing buildings. Emergency services responded quickly. Of the four crew members on board – a Spanish captain, a German first officer and two additional crew from Lithuania – one pilot was fatally injured; the other three sustained injuries and were transported to hospital. No residents on the ground were harmed. Lithuania’s Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Division opened an investigation to determine why the aircraft descended prematurely.