Incident Overview
A military aircraft on a maritime patrol mission crashed while returning to Djibouti City. The accident occurred after the crew encountered poor weather conditions characterized by heavy rainfall and limited visibility north of the Gulf of Tadjourah.
Accident Details
Cruising at an altitude of 950 meters, the aircraft collided with the slope of a mountain in the Day Forest National Park. The impact site was located approximately 17 kilometers west of Tadjourah and 50 kilometers northwest of Djibouti City.
Destruction and Casualties
The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, and all 19 individuals on board were killed. The list of occupants includes both crew and passengers. The crew consisted of Ev1 Dominique Meunier, Mp Michel Blandin, Mp Michel Pacatte, Pm Dominique Py, Pm Christian Topin, Pm Jacques Tassin, Pm André Chaumont, Mtre Daniel D'Hulster, Mtre Eric Montet, Mtre Eric Maucars, Sm Laurent Faubet, Sm Pierre Pugi, Qm2 Patrick Simond, Qm2 Didier Formet, and Pm Gilbert Crouilles. The passengers were Ev2 René-François Foin, Maj Bernard Jolliard, Mp Jean Marot, and S/C Umberto Cirasaro.
Official Findings
The investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be controlled flight into terrain.