Pilot's Background and Motive
The pilot who crashed his small aircraft into Beijing's tallest skyscraper last week was reportedly suffering from "chronic insomnia and anxiety" and carried out the act for "personal reasons," according to authorities on Thursday.
The incident resulted in the death of the pilot, identified only by his surname Liu, and caused injuries to 13 others.
Liu, a 66-year-old resident of Beijing, was a divorced freelancer living alone, the Chaoyang district stated. His diary contained "multiple expressions of ending his life."
"The comprehensive investigation concluded that this was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons," the statement said.
Aftermath and Investigation
Officials reported that one of the injured individuals has since been discharged from the hospital.
Videos capturing the crash at the CITIC Tower circulated widely on social media before being removed from the Chinese internet as authorities conducted an investigation into what many considered a significant security breach.
