727 Missing?? Anyone see this?

[flyerc90]

This is from CNN....hope they find it.

U.S. official confirms 727 jet missing
From Pam Benson
CNN Washington Bureau
Friday, May 30, 2003 Posted: 12:48 AM EDT (0448 GMT)



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A senior U.S. official confirms that the government of Angola has reported a missing Boeing 727 aircraft.

The plane apparently departed from Angola several days ago on a flight to Burkina Faso, in northwestern Africa, but it never made it to its destination, and its whereabouts are unknown, this official said.

The official said there is "no evidence or information to suggest this is terrorist-related," and suggested "it is most likely criminal." According to this official, the plane was leased, and the people involved were behind in their payments.

U.S. law enforcement and the intelligence community are working with the Angolan government to help determine what happened to the plane. When asked if there had been any intelligence from the region suggesting any terrorist activity related to a plane, the official said, "Nothing I'm aware of."

U.S. officials have recently expressed concern that al Qaeda could use aircraft to carry out a terrorist attack against U.S. interests overseas.

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security issued an advisory to the U.S. aviation community citing "recent reliable reports" indicating al Qaeda was in the final stages of planning an aerial suicide attack against the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. According to a source who read the notice, it noted "al Qaeda's continuing fixation with using explosive-laden small aircraft."

 

[nosewheel]

Missing 72?

If I'm not mistaken that Aircraft is an ex AA pax aircraft Reg#N844AA. The airplane was converted into a fuel hauler a year ago and was ferried to Luanda and was to be used for hauling diesel fuel to the diamond mines in and around Angola. With it came six US crewmembers who, after a few months on the project were never paid there salary and left Angola last March. The man who leased the aircraft was a S. African buisiness man named Keith Irwin, A well known theif in the aviation buisiness worldwide. The company who owned the aircraft was a MIA (Opolaca)based operation. If it is the same aircraft, it can carry 30,000 lbs of extra fuel in the tanks mounted on the floor inside the fuselage. I sure hope that whoever stole the aircraft was not intending on useing it as a weapon.

 

[T-Gates]

If what you said is true. That is some scary sh!t. That isn't something that should fall into "those" hands.

--03M