An Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft has crashed at Gao Airport in Mali. The aircraft, registered as EW-412TH, is of Belarusian origin and had arrived from Minsk, Belarus the previous day with scheduled departure to Istanbul, Turkey today.
Some sources indicate that the aircraft is owned by the Russian private military company (PMC) known as Wagner PMC. But local sources have stated that the aircraft is a Malian army aircraft carrying equipment.
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a widely used military transport aircraft known for its versatility and capability to carry heavy cargo and troops. It is often used for humanitarian and military missions, making it a crucial asset in various operations. The circumstances leading to the crash are still under investigation.
???????? Un Ilyushin Il-76 vient de s’écraser à l'aéroport de Gao au Mali.
??L’avion appartiendrait au groupe russe Wagner PMC, présent dans la région.
??L’avion biélorusse, immatriculé EW-412TH, est arrivé de Minsk hier et devait repartir aujourd’hui à Istanbul. pic.twitter.com/0NRe9db0Rw
— air plus news (@airplusnews) September 23, 2023
Footage near gao airport shows a column of smoke, confirming the crash.
Local sources says it’s not a Wagner plane but a malian army one, and it was likely carrying equipment for FAMAs (malian army). pic.twitter.com/5wHTgcA0Xe
— Casus Belli (@casusbellii) September 23, 2023
2023-09-23: Video footage emerged of the crashed Ilyushin IL-76 (TZ-98T) at Gao Airport, Mali. The aircraft is seen landing on runway 06 at overrunning the end of it at high speed until it broke into parts and caught fire. pic.twitter.com/pDo7lL9IwT
— JACDEC (@JacdecNew) September 27, 2023
Malian army plane with a Belarusian registration? I don’t believe it: for me the plane belongs to the Wagner Group, very active in Mali.
This is not aircraft from Rybystar.
Thanks for the information…
i knew the il76 are strong planes but this plane(EW-412TH) was extra strong was back flying yesterday amazing after such a crash