Accident
On May 26, 2003, a Yakovlev Yak-42D operated by UM Airlines as Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines Flight 4230 crashed into the side of a mountain near the town of Maçka, 15 miles (24 km) from Trabzon, Turkey. The aircraft was on a chartered international passenger flight from Manas International Airport, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to Zaragoza Airport, Spain, with a planned refueling stop at Trabzon Airport. During its third attempt to land in dense fog, the aircraft struck terrain. The pilot reported being unable to see the runway; visibility was less than 10 meters (33 ft).
Occupants and Cargo
The aircraft carried 13 crew members and 62 passengers, all of whom were killed in the impact. The passengers included 41 members of the Spanish army and 21 members of the Spanish air force, returning from a four-month peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force. The aircraft also carried ammunition, and explosions following the crash scattered wreckage over a large area.
Context
The flight was chartered by the Spanish Ministry of Defence to repatriate some of the approximately 120 Spanish troops serving as peacekeepers in Afghanistan.
Aftermath
Spanish Defence Minister Federico Trillo stated, "the meteorological conditions and dense fog caused the drama." NATO Secretary-General George Robertson commented, "This is an appalling tragedy, given that these soldiers were serving the interest of peace in a difficult mission in Afghanistan." In 2004, the Spanish government dismissed three generals after it was discovered that 22 of the victims' bodies had been misidentified and returned to the wrong families.