What happened
During a routine maritime patrol mission, the aircraft experienced a critical mechanical issue with its powerplant. The right engine suffered a malfunction that necessitated an immediate shutdown by the captain. With one engine inoperable and conditions deteriorating, the crew initiated an emergency ditching procedure.
The aircraft came to rest in rough sea conditions approximately 65 kilometers from Cabrera Island. Following the impact with the water, all five crew members were successfully extracted from the wreckage. Rescue operations were carried out by the personnel of a British merchant vessel named 'Mirupanu'. The survivors were subsequently transported and disembarked at the port of Oran.
Findings
Post-incident assessments confirmed that the aircraft sustained severe damage during the ditching and subsequent recovery efforts. Although the airframe was initially towed to shore, it was ultimately declared damaged beyond repair and written off. The official investigation attributed the incident directly to the failure of the right engine in flight.