Chinese authorities have stated that the man who flew a small plane into Beijing's tallest skyscraper last week was a 66-year-old individual suffering from mental health problems. The official statement, released on Thursday, provides the most detailed account yet of the highly unusual and fatal incident that occurred in Beijing's central business district on the evening of June 26.
Incident Details
The aircraft, a small propeller plane, crashed into the China Citic Tower, the headquarters of a state-owned financial services group. The tower is located approximately 8km (five miles) from the Zhongnanhai compound, where Chinese leader Xi Jinping resides. Beijing enforces some of the world's strictest aviation control policies, with drones and light aircraft banned from flying over the city without permission, making the incident even more extraordinary.
According to the statement from the Chaoyang district government, where the Citic Tower is situated, the pilot was identified as a man surnamed Liu. He was divorced, lived alone, and had obtained a private pilot's license in 2024. On the afternoon of the incident, Liu took off from a general aviation airport in Pinggu district, on the far outskirts of eastern Beijing. The statement noted that during the flight, he deviated from the designated area, lost contact with the airport, and subsequently collided with the high-rise building, dying at the scene.
Mental Health and Motive
The authorities disclosed that Liu suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety and had repeatedly written in a diary about ending his life. The comprehensive investigation concluded that this was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons. This explanation aligns with a pattern in China, where a spate of so-called revenge against society attacks have occurred in recent years—deadly rampages by individuals driven to breaking point by personal grievances. Authorities often describe perpetrators as isolated, unstable individuals and are reluctant to acknowledge such incidents.
Casualties and Response
The crash resulted in 13 injuries, none of which were life-threatening. On the night of the incident, a heavy police presence surrounded the China Citic Tower, with officers ordering people not to take pictures. The authorities did not release any official statement until nearly 24 hours later. While pictures and videos initially circulated on social media, many were quickly deleted. A search for terms related to the crash on the social media platform Weibo on July 3 yielded only unrelated posts. One relevant post from July 2 dismissed the event as ridiculous and nonexistent.
International Support Resources
For those in need of mental health support, international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
