"A Moroccan air force C-130 has crashed in the southern part of the country near Guelmim, according to the country's official Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse.
26July 2011
Reports indicate the aircraft went down in a mountainous area. The French news agency, AFP, reports at least 20 persons died in the crash, citing interior ministry sources. The air force operates 11 C-130Hs and two KC-130Hs, according to Forecast International data.
A C-130H Hercules transport aircraft has crashed in Morocco, according to breaking news reports.
Operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force, the C-130 crash killed some 78 people and occurred as the aircraft was on the approach to land.
The incident saw the C-130H fly into a mountain located in Guelmine and, according to Moroccan armed forces officials, was caused by weather conditions.
The Moroccan Air Force C-130H had a total of 81 people on board, including 60 soldiers and 12 civilian personnel. As this article was being written, the recovered body count had reached 42, leaving tens more unaccounted for at this stage.
The Hercules had earlier taken off from Dakhla Airport in the Western Sahara and was due to have landed, later on, at Kenitra Air Base in the north of the country.
Moroccan Hercules Crash
The Moroccan Hercules crash now figures among the nation's worst aircraft incidents of the past 20 years - already producing higher fatality levels than the 1994 airliner crash, which claimed 44 lives.
The C-130 Hercules is the RMAF's most numerous transport type, with 12 in service prior to today's fatal crash. These serve alongside other variants of the basic design, including KC-130 tankers and RC-130 reconnaissance platforms.
The Hercules itself is a legend among post-war aircraft designs. First flown in 1954, it remains in widespread service around the world. No other type has enjoyed such a long production run and, in 2009, the 2,300th C-130 was rolled out"
ina lilah oua ina ileihi rajioune
Mar 26 Juil - 23:42
