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5 fatalities

Cargo Aircraft Disappears from Radar and Crashes in Desert Near Barentu (ET-AFW)

Barentu, EritreaFlight

On February 19, 1979, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration ET-AFW) operated by Ethiopian Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Barentu, Eritrea in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It was determined that a bomb exploded on board in flight. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A cargo aircraft vanished from radar at cruising altitude and crashed in a desert area near Barentu, killing all five occupants. The official investigation determined that a bomb exploded on board in flight.

Incident Overview and Discovery of Wreckage During a cargo flight, the aircraft was operating at cruising altitude when it disappeared from radar screens. Subsequent search efforts located the wreckage in a desert area near Barentu. All five people on board were killed in the accident. The crew did not transmit any distress call before the crash. ## Official Investigation Findings The official investigation concluded that the accident was caused by a bomb exploding on board while the aircraft was in flight. No other causes or contributing factors are stated in the provided source material. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, operator, exact date, or precise location beyond the general area near Barentu.

Probable cause

It was determined that a bomb exploded on board in flight.

Related events

Same operator

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