What happened
On a flight departing from N'Djamena Airport destined for Paris-Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, a DC-10 vanished from radar tracking approximately forty-six minutes after takeoff. While maintaining a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet over Niger, the aircraft ceased all communication with air traffic control without issuing an emergency signal. It was subsequently determined that the plane underwent an in-flight explosion.
Search and rescue efforts located the wreckage one day following the disappearance. The debris field was situated in the Ténéré Desert, roughly 650 km north of N'Djamena and northeast of the Termit Mountain Range, covering an area of approximately 100 km2. There were 170 fatalities as no individuals on board survived the impact.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the aircraft was destroyed by an explosive device. The destruction was caused by a pentrite-based explosive charge that had been placed inside a container at position 13R within the forward cargo compartment.
Investigators identified the most likely scenario as the placement of the bomb within luggage loaded at Brazzaville Airport. Furthermore, post-accident assessments revealed that security protocols at Brazzaville Airport at the time of the incident failed to meet ICAO standards and recommended practices regarding civil aviation security.