5 fatalities

Aircraft ditched into Mediterranean Sea following technical failure (G-AFYU)

Libya, LibyaFlight

On December 21, 1939, a Lockheed 14 Super Electra (registration G-AFYU) operated by British Airways (1935) was involved in an aviation accident near Libya, Libya in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by an unknown technical problem encountered shortly after departure. 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 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft was forced to ditch in the Mediterranean Sea after experiencing unknown technical issues shortly after departing El Salloum Airport, resulting in five fatalities.

What happened

The incident occurred less than an hour after the aircraft departed from El Salloum Airport, located on the border between Egypt and Libya. During this initial phase of flight, the pilot issued a mayday call to report significant technical difficulties that were not immediately identified. Due to the severity of these mechanical issues, the pilot was compelled to ditch the aircraft into the Mediterranean Sea.

Rescue operations were initiated promptly following the crash. The crew of a nearby vessel arrived at the scene and successfully recovered six survivors from the water, including the pilot. Tragically, five other individuals aboard the aircraft did not survive the incident.

Findings

Official investigations concluded that the accident was precipitated by an unknown technical problem. No specific mechanical component or failure mode was definitively identified in the available records to explain the loss of control or the need for emergency ditching.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by an unknown technical problem encountered shortly after departure.