Region

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton MR.3 near Agounit

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1994 at 0135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
1716
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
1526
YOM:
1957
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was en route from South Africa to England via Abidjan to take part to an airshow. While cruising over the desert by night, both right engines n°3 and 4 failed. Ten minutes later, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a desert area located some 50 km north of Agwenit, Occidental Sahara. All 19 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter in Awsard: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1993
Operator:
Registration:
HB-FKS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Awsard - Agwanit
MSN:
875
YOM:
1991
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Aircraft was performing a routine administrative flight from Awsard to Agwanit with one UN Field Service generator technician, one Australian Signals Contingent doctor, one Swiss Medical Unit nurse and a Swiss Medical Unit pilot, all serving as members of MINURSO, the Mission of the UN in Western Sahara. On takeoff, pilot encountered an unspecified problem which caused the aircraft to roll to starboard and crash near the runway, the verges of which were heavily sown with landmines. Two of the four occupants were killed on impact and one died of injuries soon after. The Swiss nurse survived with critical injuries and was medevac first to Gran Canaria, then to Switzerland.
Probable cause:
The actual cause of the crash could not be determined but was blamed on an error by the dead pilot. Suspicion remained that the starboard wing had been struck by one of the violent downdrafts for which Awsard airfield was well known.

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

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1985 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-IGVN
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Dakar - Lanzarote
MSN:
7039
YOM:
1984
Flight number:
Polar 3
Region:
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.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Gueltat Zemmour: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CNA-OH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
4717
YOM:
1977
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a reconnaissance mission and taking part to the Battle of Gueltat Zemmour (13 to 29 October 1981), carrying five crew members. En route, the airplane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed near Gueltat Zemmour, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the airplane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired by soldiers from the Front Polisario.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander in Mauritania

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5T-MAT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
765
YOM:
1976
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Western Sahara, mayb in the region of Laayoune, while taking part to a military operation against Polisario Front rebels. It is believed the aircraft was shot down by ground fire and crashed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Laayoune

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CNA-OB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
4537
YOM:
1974
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Laayoune Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed. The occupant's fate remains unknown. It is reported the aircraft has been shot down by rebels from the Polisario Front.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 in Villa Cisneros

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-LATI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rome – Marseille – Barcelona – Casablanca – Villa Cisneros – Dakar – Natal – Recife – Caravelas – Vitoria – Rio de Janeiro – Porto Alegre – Montevideo – Buenos Aires – Santiago de Chile
MSN:
41017
YOM:
1948
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Mislanding in Villa Cisneros in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. The accident occurred in November 1949 (exact date remains unknown).

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 in Villa Cisneros

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-BAIA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rome – Villa Cisneros – Sal – Natal – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
23
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing the landing procedure at night while the runway was unlighted. After touchdown, the three engine aircraft collided with five camels sleeping on the runway. The aircraft sustained several damaged and was not repaired. There were no casualties among the occupants of the airplane while the fate of the camels remains unknown.
Probable cause:
Collision with five camels after landing.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Tarfaya: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
22-94
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tan-Tan – Tarfaya
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While approaching Tarfaya Airport, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and was unable to locate the airfield. Control was lost and the airplane crashed into the ocean off Cape Juby. A crew member was rescued while 10 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Latécoère 28-0 near the Cape Bojador: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AJPA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Casablanca – Dakar – Buenos Aires
MSN:
925
YOM:
1930
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Paris on an international schedule service to Buenos Aires with five passengers and two crew members on board. On the leg from Casablanca to Dakar, while cruising at night at an altitude of 3,000 metres, the engine caught fire. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in rough terrain located about 50 km from the Cape Bojador, bursting into flames. Six occupants were injured while the flight engineer Jean Reig was killed.
Crew:
Marcel Goret, pilot,
Frédéric Marret, radio operator,
Jean Reig, flight engineer. †
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.