LAM E190 over Namibia on Nov 29th 2013, radar contact lost, aircraft missing

A LAM Linhas Aereas de Mocambique Embraer ERJ-190, registration C9-EMC performing flight TM-470 from Maputo (Mozambique) to Luanda (Angola) with 28 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute over northern Namibia when radar contact and radio contact was lost with the aircraft at about 11:30Z. The aircraft did not arrive in Luanda (scheduled arrival at 14:10L, 13:10Z), the aircraft would have run out of fuel by now. There are no reports of an unscheduled landing anywhere in the region along the flight track.

In the afternoon the airline released a press statement saying that they have information the aircraft landed in Rundu (Namibia) in northern Namibia. The airline and aviation authorities are currently trying to establish contact to verify the information. Late evening the airline stated, they still have no word about the whereabouts of C9-EMC.

Namibia's Authorities have initiated a search for the aircraft confirming the aircraft had been last heard over northern Namibia. The aircraft has not landed on Rundu's Airport. There are unverified reports of the aircraft having gone down 200km/108nm east of Rundu, a national park with mainly wetlands and dense forests.

Mozambique's government said, it can not be ruled out that the aircraft crashed in the border region of Namibia and Botswana, a search for the aircraft is underway in both countries. The search however is hampered by very bad weather in the region and darkness. The government still hopes the aircraft managed a forced landing in the forested area.

On Saturday (Nov 30th) the airline reported the search for the aircraft is ongoing in Botswana, Namibia and Angola. The aircraft carried 10 citizens of Mozambique, 9 Angolans, 5 Portugese, 1 French, 1 Brazilian and 1 Chinese citizen, 1 passenger and the crew not yet listed. As of current Namibian police helicopters are searching the area, that is forested without roads, the search is extremely difficult therefore.

The airline operates 3 Embraer ERJ-190 registrations C9-EMA, C9-EMB and C9-EMC. Neither Embraer has been seen on AVH radar on Nov 29th (a transponder miscode erroneously identified C9-EMC out of Johannesburg on flight TM-306, the aircraft however was the Boeing 737-500 C9-BAP). The airline also operates one Embraer ERJ-145 (seen on radar past loss of contact with TM-470), two Boeing 737-200s and one Boeing 737-500.

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