Background
The aircraft, a Dornier DO228 operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute and named Polar 3, was returning to Germany after an expedition in Antarctica. It departed Dakar on a leg to Lanzarote, following another Dornier DO228 from the same institute, Polar 2, which was flying at a higher altitude.
Incident
En route, Polar 3 was struck by a surface-to-air missile and subsequently crashed in a desert area south of Dakhla. All three crew members aboard were killed.
Probable Cause
Official findings state that the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired by the Front Polisario.