Ethiopia: Military plane crashed in Dire Dawa three days before another plane crashed in Mogadisho

The Reporter Ethiopia

Army aviation investigates Ethiopian air force aircraft accidents

The Ethiopian Army Aviation and the Ethiopian Air Force are investigating the two aircraft accidents that occurred two weeks ago in Dire Dawa and Mogadishu, Somalia.

Reliable sources told The Reporter that an accident investigation team comprising experts drawn from the Ethiopian Air Force and the Ethiopian Army Aviation has been formed. Sources said the accident investigation team has been deployed to the crash sites to collect data.

The first accident that involved a military transport aircraft, C130 (L100), occurred on August 6 at Dire Dawa International Airport. The aircraft was commanded by a chief pilot, Col. Solomon. There were no fatal injuries. The two crew members who survived the accident are being treated at the military hospital in Addis Ababa, Tor Hayloch Hospital.

The US government donated two Hercules C130 military transport aircraft to the Ethiopian Air Force in 1998. The American government was to confer four of this aircraft but after delivering the two the Ethio-Eritrea boarder war broke out in May 1998 and the US government changed its mind because of the conflict and denied the two more aircraft.

The second aircraft, Antonov 12, crashed and caught fire on landing at Mogadishu airport in Somalia on the morning of August 9. Four of the six crew members on board the aircraft were killed and two survivors were taken to a hospital in Mogadishu. The plane was carrying equipment for international forces fighting Islamist militants in Somalia.

The Ethiopian government confirmed the accident. The military cargo aircraft, Antonov 12, flew from Dire Dawa ( Ethiopian town in Eastern part of the country) to Mogadishu on August 9 at 6:00 AM and the accident occurred at 8:00 AM.

Reliable sources told The Reporter that experts of the Ethiopian Army Aviation, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Air Force, are investigating the cause of the two crashes that occurred the same week. Sources said the experts have been collecting data. The cause is yet to be established. “Two accidents in a week means a lot. The causes of the accidents could be technical or sabotage,” sources said. According to sources, the collected data are now being analysed by the aviation experts.

Aviation experts told The Reporter that Antonov aircraft has poor safety record. Many aircraft accidents that involve the ageing Antonov aircraft occur in Africa and other parts of the world. According to the experts the C130 aircraft is relatively a reliable aircraft. However, they said, if an aircraft is poorly maintained it could crash regardless of the type of the aircraft. “Old aircraft are more prone to accidents,” the experts said.