What happened
During the final approach phase to the Debre Zeit-Harar Meda Air Force Base, an Ethiopian Air Force aircraft experienced a catastrophic failure involving all four engines. The sudden explosions caused the plane to descend rapidly, impacting the ground a short distance before reaching the runway threshold. Upon impact, the wreckage ignited, resulting in a large fire.
The accident resulted in a total of 26 fatalities. While emergency responders were able to rescue 12 individuals from the wreckage, the remaining occupants did not survive the crash.
Findings
Investigations into the incident concluded that the destruction was not due to mechanical failure alone. It was determined that an Ethiopian Air Force Lieutenant attempted to hijack the flight to redirect it toward Somalia. During the approach to the airbase, the individual detonated a grenade inside the cabin, which led to the engine explosions and the subsequent crash.