A DHL cargo plane yesterday crashed off the coast of Libreville, capital of Gabon inwest-central Africa, but the four persons on board survived the accident.
The Antonov 26 turboprop plane went down on Monday morning landing with its nose buried in thelow tide just off the coast near a major high school in Libreville, news agencies AP and AFPreported.
The four people on board the plane were pulled out alive and were taken to hospital for theirwounds to be treated. The four people were the three crew members, two Ukranians and one Bulgarian,as well as a Gabonese passenger.
The Gabon National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) issued a statement saying that the Soviet-builtAn-26 had been operated by Solenta Aviation Gabon on behalf of DHL and had been flying toLibreville from Port Gentil, the country’s second-largest city.
The plane had been given permission to land at the capital’s airport when the pilot alertedthere had been a hydraulic problem. Shortly afterwards the plane landed in the sea close to aformer hotel.
The government has opened an investigation into the crash, and has banned flights involving thattype of cargo plane until further notice, the aviation agency said.
