Plane Crashed in Afghanistan Not Indian, Did Refuelling at Gaya: Govt Clarifies

New Delhi: A small aircraft carrying six individuals crashed in Afghanistan’s remote Badakhshan province on Saturday. While initial reports suggested an Indian plane was involved, the Indian government clarified that the aircraft was Moroccan-registered. The plane had refuelled at Gaya airport in Bihar during its journey from Thailand to Moscow.

The unfortunate plane crash that has just occurred in Afghanistan is neither an Indian Scheduled Aircraft nor a Non Scheduled (NSOP)/Charter aircraft. It is a Moroccan registered small aircraft. More details are awaited.

— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) January 21, 2024

The Russian aviation authorities disclosed that the charter plane disappeared from radar screens over a remote mountainous area in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province. The aircraft, conducting a private medical evacuation from Thailand’s Utapao airport to Moscow via India and Uzbekistan, had a Russian citizen in serious condition on board. The patient, accompanied by her husband, a private entrepreneur, was being transported from a Pattaya hospital to Russia.

Tragically, the pilot reported low fuel, intending to land in Tajikistan, but both engines malfunctioned. Russia’s Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case to examine potential safety violations. The Taliban-run Afghan aviation ministry stated that the plane deviated from its route, likely due to technical issues and an investigation is underway.