The robbery of the tanker plane in Rwanda continues to be a mystery for the authorities of the country and the world, due to the magnitude of the crime and its impunity.
Unfortunately every day we witness robberies on public roads that no longer surprise anyone. With the advancement of criminal techniquesthey can take a car at incredible speed and in front of everyone’s eyes. However, there are events that remain in history because of the object that was stolen, and because of its historical importance.
That was the case of robbery of a Boeing 727 on May 25, 2003 at the Quatro de Fevererio airport in Luanda. From the fact of bypassing security, to being able to pilot them to escape despite the warnings and attempts to catch the criminals, and above all because of the composition of the ship.
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The theft of a Boeing 727 at Luanda airport
This is what happened with a Boeing 727 on May 25, 2003 at the Quatro de Fevereiro airport in Luanda. The plane, with registration N844AA, had been released by American Airlines in 1975, although at that time it belonged to Aerospace Sales & Leasing. A year before the mysterious incident, the aircraft was transformed into a tanker plane to transport fuel to the diamond mines in the interior of Angola.
During this transformation, the plane’s seats were replaced by ten tanks that had a total capacity of 19,000 liters. However, economic problems of buyers and non-payment of fees caused the ship will be detained at Luanda airport for more than a year. In 2003, Aerospace Sales & Leasing decided to sell the plane to a South African company, but before the sale it was necessary set it up so I could fly again.
On May 25 of that year, while tests were being carried out on the engines, the plane took off without authorization at five in the afternoon, without lights and without communication with the control tower. The Boeing 727 headed southwest over the Atlantic and disappeared over the horizon. Despite theories suggesting a robbery by terrorists or drug traffickers, or even the participation of the mechanics themselvesthe plane and its two occupants were never found.
Almost two years after the attacks September 11the mysterious theft of the Boeing 727 generated great concern, setting off all the alerts, since the modification of the plane into a tanker ship made it potentially dangerous for a new suicide attack. The United States authorities raised their level of anti-terrorist alert for several months, fearing that it could be used for violent purposes. However, despite the reinforcement of security measures, the plane never reappeared nor were any clues found about its destination.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
