Chinese rocket crashes after accidental launch

An engine test for a Chinese Tianlong-3 rocket became an unplanned launch on Sunday, when the rocket broke free from its moorings and blasted off, eventually crashing back down in the mountains, around away from the test site. Footage was captured of the accidental launch, and the rocket’s abrupt mid-air stop when the computer shut it down remotely. The launch was reportedly caused by a ‘structural failure’ in the junction between the rocket hull and the test bench, according to Space Pioneer, the company responsible for the test. No casualties were reported by local authorities, while Space Pioneer said that all personnel in the area had been evacuated in advance.