African Aviation Trails

This edition covers several aircraft incidents under investigation, including a fatal training flight crash in South Africa, landing incidents involving aircraft in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the reported destruction of a military unmanned aerial vehicle during ongoing conflict in Sudan. It also revisits one of aviation's most significant historical events following the release of newly declassified documents on the 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue operation, offering fresh insights into the strategic planning behind the landmark mission ahead of its 50th anniversary. Together, these developments underscore the continued importance of aviation safety, accident investigation, operational resilience, conflict-related aviation risks, and the enduring influence of historic events on modern aviation security and crisis management.

An EgyptAir Boeing 787-9 safely diverted to Bamako after a birdstrike over Burkina Faso during a Hajj charter flight from Jeddah, with no injuries reported. In the DRC, a Busy Bee Congo Fokker 50 suffered an engine failure during landing, while a separate Su-25 military aircraft crashed near Kindu under unclear circumstances. At London Gatwick, authorities are investigating the death of a suspected stowaway found in an Air Arabia aircraft landing gear. In Niger, an attack on Niamey airport killed at least 35 people, including soldiers and attackers, amid ongoing Sahel insecurity. Meanwhile, Malawi’s parliamentary probe into the 2024 military aircraft crash has raised concerns over missing evidence and procedural lapses in earlier investigations.