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Crashed plane was carrying mortar shells procured for Bangladesh Army, BGB: ISPR

A view of the crash site of an Antonov An-12 cargo plane owned by a Ukrainian company near Kavala in Greece on Sunday –Reuters photo
A view of the crash site of an Antonov An-12 cargo plane owned by a Ukrainian company near Kavala in Greece on Sunday –Reuters photo

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Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) on Sunday said the aircraft, which crashed in Greece late on Saturday, was carrying training mortar shells procured from Serbia for the Bangladesh Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

However, the consignment was covered by insurance and there were no weapons in it, the ISPR added, reports bdnews24.com.

The flight was scheduled to land at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday at midnight, according to the airport's Executive Director Group Captain Kamrul Islam.

According to Reuters, drone images from the crash site in the northern Greek city of Kavala showed smouldering debris from the Antonov An-12 aircraft, owned by a Ukrainian company, strewn in fields.

Greek authorities said there were eight crew members on board and a Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman said they were all Ukrainian citizens.

Serbia's defence minister said the plane was carrying 11.5 tonnes of products, including mortar and training shells, made by its defence industry. The buyer of the cargo was the defence ministry of Bangladesh, he said. 

 

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