What happened
During the final approach to Bamako International Airport, an aircraft encountered intense weather conditions characterized by severe turbulence and thunderstorms. As the flight progressed through these unstable atmospheric conditions, the plane became uncontrollable, leading to a crash roughly 8 km short of the destination runway.
The incident resulted in three fatalities among the crew members. On board were two passengers, including a high-ranking Algerian official and his chief of staff, who were traveling to Freetown for a conference regarding the conflict in Western Sahara. While the three crew members lost their lives, both passengers survived the impact with injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered severe turbulence and stormy weather during its approach.
- The loss of control occurred while the flight was in the final approach phase.