Pilot killed, 13 injured after aircraft crashes into Beijing's tallest skyscraper VIDEO/PHOTO/Updated

Chinese authorities have confirmed that the pilot of a light aircraft was killed and 13 people on the ground were injured after the plane crashed into Beijing's tallest building.

According to the Chaoyang District government, the single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft struck the 528-meter CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, at about 5:55 p.m. local time on June 26 while flying near Beijing's East Third Ring Road, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"There was only one person on board, the pilot, who died," the district government said in a statement, adding that the 13 injured people were not on the aircraft and are receiving medical treatment.

Authorities said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The impact caused limited damage to the facade of the 109-story skyscraper, leaving a hole where two large glass panels were dislodged. The damaged section had been temporarily boarded up by Saturday.

The incident prompted an emergency response, with firefighters, police and ambulances deployed to the scene and occupants evacuated from the building. Earlier images and videos circulating on social media showed debris falling from the tower and what appeared to be part of the aircraft's tail section.

June 26, 18:00

A small aircraft appeared to have struck CITIC Tower, the tallest building in China's capital, on the afternoon of June 26, in a dramatic incident in one of the world's most heavily secured cities.

Videos circulating on social media showed debris falling from the 109-story skyscraper, also known as China Zun, along with what appeared to be the aircraft's tail section. Images from the scene also showed a taxicab with a shattered window near the building, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

A journalist at the scene reported seeing people evacuated from the tower gathered on streets near the entrance, while fire trucks, police vehicles and an ambulance responded to the incident.

Online images showing the aircraft's registration markings appeared to identify it as a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, a domestically manufactured light sport aircraft operated by a local general aviation company.

Unverified flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 circulating online appeared to indicate that the aircraft had followed a severely deviated flight path before the apparent collision.

By Vafa Guliyeva