UAE bans 'unsafe' cargo plane from airspace

A widely-used cargo plane has been banned from UAE airspace by the country's aviation authority following several accidents involving the aircraft.

An unnamed source from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said the Antonov An-12, a four-engine turboprop aircraft, had been blacklisted to keep the airspace over the Emirate's safe and to ensure the general public’s safety.

The authority recently sent a fax to UAE air cargo companies and airports informing them of its decision, according to the website of UAE daily, The National, on Monday.

It is understood the ban, implemented following four incidents involving the plane, will affect around six of the country’s smaller carriers.

The undisclosed carriers use the plane to carry medicine and food across the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. The Soviet-built aircraft can carry up to 20 ton payloads and travel 3,000km.

In November last year, one of the An-12s crashed in Iraq killing seven people, while another veered off the runway during takeoff at Sharjah International Airport earlier this month.

Some aviation companies believe the ban could cost thousands of jobs across several sectors. Others believe it will threaten Dubai’s standing as a base and transit hub, the website reported.

When contacted by Arabian Business, no one from the GCAA was available for comment.

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