Two people died on Friday after a small aircraft crashed onto the A2 highway in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. The incident occurred northeast of Magdeburg, leading to the closure of all lanes heading toward Hannover.
Details of the crash
According to police in Magdeburg, the aircraft went down at approximately 2:48 p.m. local time between the town of Burg and the Krahenberge highway rest area. Initial reports from authorities indicate that no other vehicles on the road were involved in the accident.
Upon impact, the plane caught fire. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and recovered the bodies of both occupants, who were pronounced dead. The specific cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Images from the site showed firefighters working to extinguish the blaze surrounding the wreckage of the red-and-white plane. The tail section of the aircraft was visible on the roadway, while other burned debris was found on a nearby embankment.
Traffic impact
The A2 highway serves as a vital east-west artery in Germany, connecting the Berlin metropolitan area to North Rhine-Westphalia, the country’s most populous state. Due to the crash, the route experienced significant disruptions as police and emergency crews maintained a presence at the scene.
Authorities have not yet provided an estimate for how long the highway will remain closed to traffic.
