Sharjah plane crash may remain a mystery

Flight recorders found in the wreckage of the Sudanese cargo plane that crashed in Sharjah last year were not working, investigators have revealed.

The reason why the plane crashed shortly after take-off in October may never be known, a senior official from the investigation committee told the National.

It is not known why the plane’s black boxes, which record voice and data onboard the flight, were not operating, officials said, adding that the investigation is still ongoing.

“Plane crash investigations are usually long,” an unnamed official told the paper. “The process includes data collection. Then you make analysis and conclusions. Lastly, you make recommendations to prevent a recurrence of an accident on similar causes.”

The Boeing 707 plane, operated by Sudan Airways, crashed shortly after taking off from Sharjah International Airport, killing all six people on board.

The Khartoum-based cargo operator Azza Transport, from which the plane was leased, will remain banned from flying into UAE airspace until the investigation concludes.

Early indicators suggested that engine difficulties were behind the crash. The plane had been in operation since 1969, but its engines were believed to have been 24 years old, General Civil Aviation Authority officials said at the time.

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