Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Guelmim: 80 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 2011 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
CNA-OQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dakhla - Guelmim - Kenitra
MSN:
4892
YOM:
1981
Location:
Guelmim
Guelmim-Es Semara
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
72
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
80
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Dakhla on a flight to Kenitra with an intermediate stop in Guelmim, carrying 60 soldiers, 12 civilians and 8 crew members. While approaching Guelmim Airport, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to marginal weather conditions. Too low, the aircraft impacted the slope of a rocky mountain located 10 km short of runway. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Two passengers survived the accident but died the following day.

Crash of a Dornier DO228-100 near Dakhla: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1985 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO228
Operator:
Registration:
D-IGVN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Dakar - Lanzarote
MSN:
7039
YOM:
1984
Flight number:
Polar 3
Location:
Dakhla
Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira
Country:
Western Sahara
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Germany following an expedition in the South Pole (Antarctica). The aircraft departed Dakar on a leg to Lanzarote, and was following another Dornier DO228 from the same Alfred Wegener Institute christened Polar 2 that was flying higher than Polar 3. En route, the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in a desert area located south of Dakhla. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile from the Front Polisario.
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