Antonov cargo crash, northern Greece
 

An Antonov cargo plane flying from Serbia to Jordan is reported crashed near Kavala, northern Greece, just before 11pm local (2000UTC).

[I don't have enough posting history to put in a URL. See newsbeast dot gr]


Google translate:

An aircraft crash occurred shortly before 11 p.m. on Saturday night on the road that connects Antiphilippi with Palaiohori Kavala. The plane was a four-engine cargo Antonov type and was flying from Serbia to Jordan.

the aircraft reported damage and had requested an emergency landing at Kavala airport, but as the information states and it appears from the first images, it caught fire in the air. Fire brigades and EKAV ambulances are directed to the scene of the fall. The electricity supply was interrupted in the surrounding villages.

Looks like it was flight MEM3032. A few CCTV screengrabs and live videos show it to be on fire before crashing.

Indeed FR24 shows it going off the Greek coast alongside Halkidiki before returning to the mainland...

Link to twitter crash video.
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/07/1...rth-of-greece/

Following it on FR24 it would appear that they were initially returning to Nis. Their decision to divert to Kavala came a little later. Difficult to tell, but had they gone directly to Kavala from where they made their 180 turn they may arguably have made it.

An-12, if anyone was wondering ...

UR-CIC operated by Meridian Aviation. Originally delivered to Aeroflot in March 1971 it had since operated with a host of airlines. Meridian acquired it in January this year apparently.

Original article that the OP is unable to link is here.
https://www.newsbeast.gr/greece/arth...kindyno-fortio

Antonov down in Greece
 

low quality video of the final seconds shows the plane was on fire:

According to the BBC it was carrying Serbian made weapons that may include land mines. Wow. I’d rather be dismissed than take part in flying those bastard contraptions.

Bastard Contraption?, the Cub has been a reliable workhorse for decades.
Im not gonna speculate, but in the recent heat, high explosives can get a bit unstable. RIP the crew, I dont think they stood much of a chance

639, think Jim was referring to the land mines as bastard contraptions rather than the poor old AN-12 - if so, I tend to agree with him...

How are 32 airfreight companies stil operaring out of Ukraine ?
Surely a target for Russian jets ??

Carrying 11 odd tons of mortar rounds to Bangladesh.

I think that you will find that they are registered in the Ukraine and not necessarily operating in or out of the Ukraine!

Possibility of mines as Serbia and Pakistan have not yet signed the ICBL treaty, however Jordan and Ukraine have!
And as I have just heard said on the news the final destination might have been Bangladesh which has signed up to the Treaty for what it is worth without the Super Powers!

There's no reference to mortar rounds in that link. Other sources suggest it was carrying land mines.

An-12 UR-CIC has been regularly commented on in the "Interesting aircraft seen today" thread for the past year or so over in Spectators Balcony

Interesting aircraft - what have you seen on your computer today? - Page 74 - PPRuNe Forums

Last in the UK a week ago, operating out of Birmingham to the continent - An12s seem to do this route most days. principally car parts, the air freight business of which has expanded considerably since the difficulties at docks. Along with the smaller Antonov 24 turboprop they route audibly over London multiple times a day at present, linking a wide range of oddball destinations. Several times a month the An12s actually cross the Atlantic. Most of them have not actually been to Ukraine this year.

This particular aircraft has long been notable, even when at 20,000 feet in the cruise, for being more audible from the ground than the others.

Funny; the 'bastard contraptions' seemed to be getting a pretty good reviews in the cheap-seats when RF tanks were filmed driving over them.