ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 330037
| Date: | Friday 23 November 1973 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Douglas C-47 (DC-3) |
| Owner/operator: | Aeronautica Militare Italiana - AMI |
| Registration: | MM61832 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Porto Marghera -
 Italy
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
A Douglas C-47 operated by the Italian Air Force crashed at Porto Marghera, Italy, killing all four crew members.
The airplane, call sign 'Argo 16' was used by the Italian Secret Service and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in covert operations. Officially, those operations were limited to electronic surveillance over the Adriatic Sea and interference with the Yugoslavian radar network. The C-47 was also said to have been used for the repatriation of terrorists and transport of secret service agents.
There are different theories as to the cause of the accident. It was widely believed the plane was sabotaged by Mossad, the Israeli national intelligence agency, in retaliation for the pro-Libyan Italian government's decision to expel, rather than try, five Arabs who had tried to blow up an Israeli airliner.
In 1990 General Geraldo Serraville, head of Gladio from 1971 to 1974, told a television programme that he thought the plane was probably sabotaged by the gladiatori who were refusing to hand over their clandestine arms. Gladio was a clandestine NATO anti-communist paramilitary organization.
Sources:
Argo 16 (Wikipedia)
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation