2023 Gao Ilyushin Il-76 crash

On 23 September 2023, an Ilyushin Il-76 military transport aircraft crashed at Gao International Airport, Mali after overrunning the runway. The crash reportedly killed up to 140 people. If confirmed, this would make it the deadliest aircraft disaster in the history of Mali, surpassing Air Algérie Flight 5017 in 2014, as well as the deadliest plane crash in 2023.

2023 Gao Ilyushin Il-76 crash
TZ-98T, the Ilyushin Il-76TD involved in the accident, pictured under a previous registration in 2016
Accident
Date23 September 2023 (2023-09-23)
SummaryCrashed after runway excursion
SiteGao International Airport, Gao, Mali
Aircraft
Aircraft typeIlyushin Il-76TD
OperatorMalian Air Force
RegistrationTZ-98T
Occupants140+ (unofficial)
Crew7 (unofficial)
Fatalities140+ (unofficial)
Survivorsunknown

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was an Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter. In the immediate aftermath of the crash it was unclear by whom the aircraft was operated. Speculation that the aircraft was operating on behalf of the United Nations' MINUSMA peacekeeping mission was denied by the UN in a statement given to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.[1]

Local journalists initially reported that the aircraft was operated by Belarusian airline Rubystar Airways, either on behalf of the Malian Armed Forces or the Russian Wagner Group private military company,[1] with some outlets stating that the aircraft involved in the crash was carrying the registration EW-412TH.[2] Later reports suggested that the aircraft was operated directly by the Malian Air Force with the registration TZ-98T.[3][4][5]

Crash

The aircraft crashed on the 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) long[6] runway 06L at Gao International Airport, after landing too far down the runway.[5] The aircraft then broke into several parts and caught on fire.[1][3]

It has not been confirmed how many passengers were on the aircraft, but it is speculated that as many as 140 people may have been on board, of them 7 crew.[7] Though the exact amount of casualties remains unclear, it is speculated that the aircraft's Russian pilot and a Malian lieutenant colonel were amongst the fatalities of the crash.[8][9]

Affiliation with Wagner Group

The aircraft was reportedly affiliated with the Wagner Group[1] and was carrying Malian soldiers and members of the PMC.[10] The Telegram account "Grey Zone", which is affiliated with the Wagner Group, denied that there were any PMC members on board at the time of the crash.[11] It is speculated that the aircraft was previously owned by the Wagner Group and then transferred to the Malian Air Force a week before the crash.[8][3]

See also

References
  1. Franke, Martin (23 September 2023). "Mali: Wem gehört das abgestürzte russische Transportflugzeug?" [Mali: Who owns the crashed Russian transport plane?]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. Odhiambo, Victor Shalton (23 September 2023). "Ilyushin Il-76 Cargo Plane Possibly Tied to Wagner Group Crashes in Mali". Airspace Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  3. Finnerty, Ryan (28 September 2023). "Footage emerges of fiery Il-76 crash in Mali". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  4. Fourt, Olivier; Genevrier, Grégory (27 September 2023). "Mali: anatomie du crash d'un Ilyushin Il-76 à l'aéroport de Gao" [Mali: Anatomy of the crash of an Ilyushin Il-76 at Gao airport] (in French). Radio France Internationale.
  5. Parken, Oliver (27 September 2023). "Il-76 Cargo Jet's Disastrous Landing In Mali Captured On Video". The Drive. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  6. Aeronautical chart and airport information for GAGO at SkyVector
  7. "More than a hundred Wagnerians were killed: footage of the plane crash in Mali has emerged". SUNDRIES. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  8. Varley, Len (27 September 2023). "Ilyushin Il-76 destroyed in landing accident in Mali". AviationSource News. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  9. "Mali Junta Pays Tribute To Officer After Fatal Plane Crash". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  10. Struck, Julia (27 September 2023). "Footage Emerges of Il-76 Plane Crash in Mali, Wagner Mercs Killed". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  11. Dmytriieva, Daria (24 September 2023). "IL-76 crashed in Mali - Might connected to Wagner PMC". RBC-Ukraine. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
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