Cargo An-32 crashes in Moldova

A SOVIET-built An-32 freighter, owned by Sudanese carrier Kata Air Transport, crashed shortly after take-off from the Moldovan capital Chisnau on 11 April.

All eight crew were killed in the accident as the aircraft attempted to return to the airport after the crew reported problems. The An-32 had departed for an en-route stop at Antalya, Turkey, before heading for Sudan.

The crash will only increase calls for Soviet-era freighters to be banned from EU skies as a spate of crashes has highlighted some dubious maintenance procedures and insufficient aviation authority oversight, particularly in certain African countries.