A propeller-engine Cargo Plane loaded with French military equipment crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after it took off from Abidjan international airport, Ivory Coast. French forces spokesperson, Lieutenant Villain, said that at least six people were injured.

Ivory Coast’s Security Minister, Sidiki Diakite, confirmed that around 8:30 in the morning on October 14, the plane crashed with 10 people on board including the plane crew. He added further that four Moldovans died and six others survived the said crash. The injured people were rescued and were transported to Abidjan's Port-Bouet camp for treatment.

Four of the injured ones were reportedly soldiers who are French citizens and the other two are Ivorian authorities.

Heavy rains and lightning

The weather was not good due heavy rains and lightning when the plane crash happened. A witness recalled seeing the aircraft struggling as it aimed to get up amidst the strong winds. The wreckage of the plane was washed to the shore near Port Bouet, a suburb of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The residents near the shore were awakened by the noise brought by the plane crash. At first, they said, they thought it was the waves of the ocean. However, the rest of the neighborhood saw the wreckage of the plane. They immediately notified the airport authorities and rescuers were sent in response.

Residents near the coast gathered at the seashore and watched as the rescuers of the plane crash removed two bodies from inside the aircraft and the other two were apparent since the plane was divided into parts.

French military source said that the cargo plane was an Antonov model that was made in Ukraine and was chartered by the French army for its anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane.

Authorities said they still investigating and confirming the details before issuing an official statement regarding the recent incident of the chartered cargo plane crash.

Similar incident

A similar incident happened in February 2000, when Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashed into the sea off the coast shortly after it took off from Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, Abidjan.

Boarded on the said plane were 179 people including the aircraft’s crew members. Of the total people on board, only 10 were able to survive the plane crash. Most of the passengers and crew were reported to be Nigerians.

The investigation report on the crash of Kenya Airways Flight 431 noted that the pilots lacked visual references when it took off after dark towards the sea.