Accident Narrative
The accident occurred during a night approach to Bahrain under limited visibility of 1,370 meters. The aircraft, named 'Ciel de Picardie', struck the water surface approximately 5,200 meters short of the threshold of runway 29. It sank to a depth of 12 feet in the Persian Gulf.
Rescue
First rescuers arrived at the scene about eight hours after the accident. Two crew members—the captain and the radio officer—along with four passengers were rescued. The remaining 46 occupants were killed. The crew manifest included pilot J. Sladek, copilot Raoul Saury, radio navigator Yvan Moulis (deceased), radio officer M. Collard (deceased), mechanic Jacques Michel, stewardess Nicole Combaret (deceased), steward Roger Bertru (deceased), and steward Roland Bequet (deceased).
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was that the pilot in command did not keep an accurate check of his altitude and rate of descent during the timed approach procedure, thus allowing his aircraft to fly into the surface of the sea. The possibility that the pilot-in-command was feeling the effects of fatigue cannot be ruled out. Additionally, at the time of the accident, Bahrain Airport was not equipped with radio landing aids and suitable runway approach lights, which was considered as a contributory factor.