Libreville – Port Gentil – Franceville

On June 8, 2004 at 09:38 AM, Libreville – Port Gentil – Franceville experienced a crash involving Avro 748, operated by Gabon Express, with the event recorded near Libreville Estuaire (Libreville).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

30 people were known to be on board, 19 fatalities were recorded, 11 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 63.3%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 26, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft departed Libreville-Léon Mba Airport at 0911LT on a flight to Franceville with an intermediate stop in Port Gentil with 26 passengers and four crew members on board. Few minutes after takeoff, the crew informed ATC about technical problem and was cleared to return to Libreville. In excellent weather conditions, the aircraft overflew the runway then crashed in the sea about 100 metres offshore. Eleven occupants were rescued while 19 others were killed, among them one crew member.

Aircraft reference details include registration TR-LFW, MSN 1611, year of manufacture 1967.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 0.3718°, 9.4608°.