TRABZON — 2003 · Major Tragedy

Crash of the Spanish Peacekeepers' Plane

ClosedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

On 26 May 2003 a chartered Yak-42D of the Ukrainian carrier UM Airlines was flying Spanish troops home from a peacekeeping tour in Afghanistan, from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to Zaragoza, Spain. While trying to land at Trabzon Airport to refuel in dense fog, the aircraft struck mountainous terrain near Maçka. The crash happened on the third landing attempt, with visibility reported to be extremely low. All 62 Spanish soldiers and 13 crew on board, 75 people in all, were killed. It is one of the worst air disasters in Turkey and became the subject of long political controversy in Spain. The crash site was about 24 km from Trabzon Airport.

Date: 2003
Place: Maçka (Pilav Mountain), Trabzon
Category: Major Tragedy
Case Status: Closed
Coordinates: 40.8500, 39.6300 ↗

Timeline of Events

26 May 2003Aircraft departs Bishkek for Zaragoza
26 May 2003Crashes near Maçka in fog while trying to land at Trabzon to refuel
26 May 200362 soldiers and 13 crew, 75 in total, killed

Sources

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