Plane disappears after take-off (Luanda, Angola)

Australia News ^ | May 29, 2003 | Australia News

[FairOpinion]

A BOEING 727 passenger jet, grounded at Luanda airport a year ago, has disappeared after a mysterious unauthorised take-off, Angola state radio reported today.

The plane, chartered by the Angolan airline Airangol, was grounded after being banned from overflying Angolan territory on account of a series of irregularities, said Angola civil aviation director Helder Preza.

A witness to the plane's departure on Sunday, airport employee Luis Lopes, said he saw a white man start the empty plane and then take off after a few dangerous land manoeuvres.

Airport chief Celso Rosa said there was some evidence to believe the Boeing had been fuelled up at Luanda airport, and said he would provide this information to the transportation ministry's investigation into the incident.

[Dog]

Plane disappears after take-off

How'd they do that?

Same way the Red Sox disappear everytime they play the Yankee's...

[Chemist_Geek]

I can't believe it's been 3 days, and no one knows where it landed (except for the perps, of course).

Well, there's precious little ATC surveillance over Africa, and I'm pretty sure that Repo Man didn't bother to file a flight plan or get a clearance and transponder squawk code...

[GOPJ]

Other than us, who do the terrorist hate the most? If it's not the repo man (most likely scenario), could it reach Israel?

[Gamecock]

I see another entry in the FReeper lexicon.

You are right, this is hugh!

[RetiredArmy]

Stolen by a aliens? Really, doesn't look good. Down somewhere.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Guy who owns the thing got tired of it sitting there for a year and sent some former Perot oilfield employees to get it home. You spread US or UK hard currency around in Angola and they could have worked on the thing for a week and brought in all the fuel they wanted without anyone "seeing" a thing. The white guy could have lead a team of ten and no one would say a word. Angolians tend to stay bought once paid.

[Gamecock]

A 727 in the Congo:

[pabianice]

Don't screw with the Repo Man...

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Looks like the repo man didn't act entirely alone.

[Florida_Freeper]

WOW...that was intense!

[Chad Fairbanks]

Irregularities? That was S.O.P in Angola back in the late 80s early 90s... I see it hasn't changed...

[FairOpinion]

"Guy who owns the thing got tired of it sitting there for a year and sent some former Perot oilfield employees to get it home"
--

I think you are probably right. Just these days missing and disappearing planes tend to make people nervous, because you never know where they will turn up next.

I wish Bush weren't going to the ME next week. It's not a safe place to be and that's an understatement.

[John Frum]

Most sane countries will shoot it down on sight if any monkey-business occurs. BANK ON IT.

[MindBender26]

Irregularities?

A few split S's, two outside loops, an Innelmhan, etc. :~)

No terrorist threat here. Terrorists would steal a better plane.

[MindBender26]

We did a small black job there in the 80s. In and out on two DC 6Bs and a 1049 Connie!

Teeeey viiiiibraaateeeedddd liiiiike aaaaaallllll heeeeeeeellllll.

[DannyTN]

"grounded at Luanda airport a year ago"

Sounds to me like someone came and got their plane. Grounded a year ago? I wonder what the irregularities were and why it hasn't been resolved before now.

[Nexus]

Other than us, who do the terrorist hate the most? If it's not the repo man (most likely scenario), could it reach Israel?

Standard configuration would really be pushing it from Angola. But apparently it has taken a pit stop somewhere. I doubt it went south of Angola, as South Africa probably would have picked it up on radar. I guess it's in range, and as "FairOpinion" has stated already, I wish Bush wasn't going to the ME next week either - for many reasons.

[Fireone]

This was an act of some series pipple. The impact will be hugh!

[GOPJ]

bump

[IncPen]

Did you see this?