The 2007 Balad aircraft crash was a January 9, 2007 airplane incident involving an Antonov An-26 airliner, which crashed while attempting to land at the US military base in Balad, Iraq.^[2] Officials claim the crash was caused by poor weather conditions, but other sources claim that this is a cover-up and the plane was actually shot down by a missile. January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD (or CE) era. ... Balad (Arabic: بلد) is a city 50 miles (80 kilometres) north of Baghdad in Iraq. ... Romanian Air Force Antonov An-26 The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a 2-engined light prop transport aircraft and is a development of the An-24 passenger aircraft, with particular attention made to the potential military use. ... January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD (or CE) era. ... Private Antonov AN-2 in the UK Antonov, aka Antonov Aeronautical Scientific/Technical Complex (Antonov ASTC) (Ukrainian: ) is a Ukraine-based (since 1952) aircraft manufacturing and services company (design office prefix An) with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. ... Romanian Air Force Antonov An-26 The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a 2-engined light prop transport aircraft and is a development of the An-24 passenger aircraft, with particular attention made to the potential military use. ... Balad (Arabic: بلد) is a city 50 miles (80 kilometres) north of Baghdad in Iraq. ... Exocet missile in flight A missile (see also pronunciation differences) is a projectile propelled as a weapon at a target. ...

Background

The aircraft, which took off from Adana, Turkey,^[3] was owned by the Moldovan company AerianTur-M, and on the day of the accident had been chartered to a Turkish company, Kulak.^[2] The aircraft was carrying both cargo and passengers. Turkish authorities told CNN Türk television that of the passengers, there were 29 Turkish workers, three Moldovans, a Russian, a Ukrainian and an American on board.^[4] Later, the Russian consul general in Antalya said the Russian and the Ukrainian also had Moldovan citizenship.^[1] Most of those on board were construction workers who worked at the base. Brig. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, said "These brave civilian-contract employees were in Iraq helping us accomplish our mission, and their loss is a tragedy," adding "Our condolences go out to the families in their time of loss."^[5] Adana (Hittite:Uru Adaniya[1], Greek: Antioch in Cilicia or Antioch on the Sarus) is the capital of Adana Province in Turkey. ...

Crash

An anonymous ministry official told the Associated Press that the pilot had already aborted one landing attempt due to poor weather conditions.^[6] Although the aircraft was said to have crashed due to fog, one eyewitness, a relative of one of the deceased, said that he watched a missile strike the right hand side of the fuselage while standing just 300-400 meters from where the aircraft went down.^[1] The man also said that multiple other eyewitnesses back his version up. According to Aero-News, the owner of the airline is among the dead, but CBS News claims that it is in fact the owner of Kulak that has been killed.^[6][2] The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ...

Emergency response

Due to the fact the aircraft crashed in a military base, the emergency response was supplied by the army and the air force. Helicopters from the Air Force's 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron transported the dead from the scene.^[5] The lone survivor was carried by an Army ground ambulance to the Air Force Theater Hospital, where he received life-saving emergency surgery.^[5] This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... An Air force is a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare. ...

Reaction from the Islamic Army in Iraq

See also: Islamic Army in Iraq

The day after the accident, the insurgent group Islamic Army in Iraq claimed that they shot it down via a web site known by authorities to be used by the group. The statement said that their members had "opened fire on a plane trying to land at an American base near Balad from different directions, using medium-range weapons... With the help of God, they were able to shoot it down."^[7] Islamic Army in Iraq Logo The Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) (Arabic: الجيش الإسلامي في العراق,al jaysh al islāmi fīl-`irāq) is one of a number of underground Baathist, Islamist, militant, or mujaheddin, organizations formed in Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by United States and coalition military forces... Islamic Army in Iraq Logo The Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) (Arabic: الجيش الإسلامي في العراق,al jaysh al islāmi fīl-`irāq) is one of a number of underground Baathist, Islamist, militant, or mujaheddin, organizations formed in Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by United States and coalition military forces...

Investigation

After the wreckage was photographed in situ, the army hauled it away on flatbed trucks to the base, where it is presently secured.^[5] The crash is under investigation by the Iraqi government, who are being assisted by representatives from Turkey and Moldova, as well as the airline. The Air Force and the Army say they are willing to help with the investigation.^[5][7][8] Ali Ariduru, deputy head of the Turkish aviation authority, said initial information indicated there was no technical malfunction on the plane.^[8] Haulage, also called cartage or drayage, is the horizontal transport of ore, coal, supplies, and waste. ... Politics of Iraq includes the social relations involving authority or power in Iraq. ...

References