Algerian Government

Gulfstream GII

The airplane was completing an official government flight from Algiers to Tehran with an intermediate stop in Nicosia, carrying four crew members, one journalist and nine members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Algeria en route to Tehran to take part to peace talks about the Iran-Iraq war. While cruising at an altitude of 37'000 feet over Iraq, the crew was instructed by ATC to leave the Iraqi airspace and to divert to Ankara. Few minutes later, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of an Iraqi MiG-25PD. Out of control, the airplane entered a dive and crashed in a mountainous terrain located near Qatur. The aircraft was destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed, among them Mohammed Seddik Benyahia, Minister of Foreign Affair of the Republic of Algeria.

Dassault Falcon 20

On final approach to Bamako Intl Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with stormy weather and severe turbulences. The airplane went out of control and crashed 8 km short of runway. Both passengers and a crew member were injured while three other crew members were killed. Both passengers were the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Seddick Benyahia and his chief of staff. They were en route to Freetown to take part to a conference about the war in the Western Sahara.