All news

An-26 that crashed in Yemen received no maintenance services since 2004

Ukrainian specialists carried out post-sales maintenance of this plane in 2000 for the term of up to 2004

KIEV, November 23 (Itar-Tass) —— The An-26 military cargo plane that crashed in Yemen on Wednesday had not undergone warranty maintenance since 2004, a source in Ukraine’s aircraft-building sector told Itr-Tass on Thursday.

“Ukrainian specialists carried out post-sales maintenance of this plane in 2000 for the term of up to 2004. Since then, we have received for requests for warranty services,” the source said. “As far as we know, this aircraft did not have an extended service life.”

According to the source, some ten An-26 were sold to Yemen in the period from 1978 to 1983. None of them has been serviced since 2004.

The An-26 plane manufactured by Ukraine’s Antonov aircraft-builder crashed near Yemen’s capital city on November 21. One of the plane’s engines failed when it was landing. The pilot tried to land in a deserted area in a Sanaa northern suburb but failed. The plane crashed some 15 kilometers away from this area killing all the ten persons, including the pilot and five army officers, who were onboard.