Rwandese Government

Dassault Falcon 50

The aircraft was returning to Kigali after an official flight from Dar es Salaam, carrying members of Rwanda and Burundi government, among them both Presidents, who took part to a congress in Tanzania and ratified the Arusha Agreements. On short final to Kigali-Grégoire Kayibanda Airport runway 28, at a height of about 100 metres, the aircraft was struck by a SAM16 surface-to-air missile and crashed in the garden of the Presidency Residence, about 500 metres from the Kanombe Camp. The wreckage was found 1,850 metres short of runway 28. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 12 occupants were killed. Crew: Jacky Héraud, pilot, Jean-Pierre Minaberry, copilot, Jean-Michel Perrine, flight engineer. Passengers: Juvénal Habyarimana, President of the Republic of Rwanda, General Déogratias Nsabimana, Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Armed Forces, Major Thaddée Bagaragaza, orderly officer for President Habyarimana, Colonel Elie Sagatwa, personnel secretary of President Habyarimana, Ambassador Juvénal Renzaho, political affairs counselor to the presidency, Dr Emmanuel Akingeneye, personnel doctor or President Habyarimana, Cyprien Ntaryamira, President of the Republic of Burundi, Bernard Ciza, Minister of Communication olf Burundi, Cyriaque Simbizi, Minister of Planning of Burundi.