Senegal releases report on September's aircraft crash

The aircraft that disappeared off the coast of Dakar after colliding with another plane was flying too high, an investigation reported.

According to preliminary reports from Senegalese investigators, the aircraft was flying at a higher altitude than its required peak.

“There was a collision between the two aircrafts,” said Amadou Lamine Traoré, Director of the Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA) from Senegal and added that “the aircraft crossed the other carrier at a level of 35,000 feet while it was only authorized to fly at a level of 34,000 feet (10,300 m).”

Senegalese investigators say the two planes were to use the same route from Bamako, but at different altitudes.

The aircraft has still not been found since the incident occured.

The plane was carrying a French patient, 3 crew members who included 2 Algerians and 1 Congolese, as well as a doctor and two Senegalese nurses.

The aircraft, a twin-engined HS 125 belonging to Senegal Air, was evacuating a French patient from Burkina Faso to Senegal when it collided with a full flight, Boeing 737-800, belonging to Ceiba liaison Dakar-Cotonou company from Equatorial Guinea.

Seven people, including a French patient, were believed to have died after the air ambulance craft crashed off the coast of Dakar.