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{{Short description|2022 aviation accident in Greece}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| occurrence_type = Accident
| date = {{Start date|2022|07|16|df=y}}
| image = Meridian Air Cargo Antonov An-12BK UR-CIC at Birmingham Airport.jpg
| caption = UR-CIC, the aircraft involved, pictured seven days before the accident
| summary = Crashed, under investigation
| site = {{convert|16|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} west of [[Kavala International Airport]], Kavala, Greece
| coordinates = {{Coord|40|58|N|24|12|E|type:event_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
| aircraft_type = [[Antonov An-12BK]]
| operator = Meridian
| tail_number = UR-CIC
| IATA =
| ICAO = MEM3032
| callsign = MERIDIAN CHERRY 3032
| origin = [[Niš Constantine the Great Airport]], [[Niš]], Serbia
| stopover0 = [[Queen Alia International Airport]], [[Amman]], Jordan
| stopover1 = [[King Khalid International Airport]], [[Riyadh]], Saudi Arabia
| stopover2 = [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport]], [[Ahmedabad]], India
| destination = [[Shahjalal International Airport]], [[Dhaka]], Bangladesh
| occupants = 8
| passengers =
| crew = 8
| fatalities = 8
| injuries =
| survivors = 0
}}
On 16 July 2022, '''Meridian Flight 3032''', an [[Antonov An-12BK]] flying from [[Serbia]] to [[Bangladesh]] via [[Jordan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and [[India]], crashed near [[Antiphilippi]], [[Kavala]], Greece while attempting to make an emergency landing at [[Kavala International Airport]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kantouris |first=Costas |last2=Nellas |first2=Demetris |date=July 17, 2022 |title=Cargo plane operated by Ukraine carrier crashes in Greece |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/plane-crashes-northern-greece-unknown-number-victims-86945641 |archive-date=16 July 2022 |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716214510/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/plane-crashes-northern-greece-unknown-number-victims-86945641 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2022 |title=Cargo plane crashes near Greece's northern city of Kavala |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/cargo-plane-crashes-near-greeces-northern-city-kavala-2022-07-16/ |website=Reuters |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717165704/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/cargo-plane-crashes-near-greeces-northern-city-kavala-2022-07-16/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The aircraft was carrying {{convert|11.5|t|kg lb}} of munitions when it crashed, which continued exploding until the next day, hindering the inspection of the crash site.

==Aircraft==
The aircraft involved first flew in 1971.{{cn|date=November 2025}} It was acquired by Ukrainian cargo carrier [[Aviation Company Meridian]] in January 2022 and [[Aircraft registration|re-registered]] as UR-CIC.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Talia Kayali, Chris Liakos and Teele Rebane |title=Plane crash in Greece kills eight people |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/17/europe/greece-cargo-plane-crash-intl/index.html |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=CNN |archive-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720172839/https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/17/europe/greece-cargo-plane-crash-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Crew and cargo==
The eight crew members, all [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] citizens, died in the crash.<ref name="Guardian">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-07-17 |title=Plane carrying munitions crashes in Greece killing all onboard |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/16/aircraft-carrying-dangerous-cargo-crashes-in-northern-greece |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717165704/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/16/aircraft-carrying-dangerous-cargo-crashes-in-northern-greece |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to Serbian defence minister [[Nebojša Stefanović]], the aircraft's cargo was some 11 tonnes of Serbian-made weapons and ammunition, including mortar shells.<ref name="BBC-62195005">{{cite web |date=17 July 2022 |title=Greece plane crash: Cargo aircraft was carrying weapons to Bangladesh - minister |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62195005 |website=BBC News |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717101759/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62195005 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Guardian" />

==Incident==
The flight originated in [[Niš|Niš, Serbia]] and was bound for [[Dhaka]], Bangladesh, with stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and India.<ref name="avherald">{{Cite web |last=Hradecky |first=Simon |date=2022-07-16 |title=Crash: Meridian AN12 near Kavala on Jul 16th 2022, impacted ground after engine trouble |url=https://avherald.com/h?article=4fbc119a&opt=0 |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=avherald.com |publisher=[[The Aviation Herald]] |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717142837/https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4fbc119a&opt=0 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The aircraft departed from Niš at 18:36 UTC, with some 11 tonnes of ammunition on board, scheduled to arrive at Dhaka. Intermediate stops were planned in [[Amman]], [[Riyadh]] and [[Ahmedabad]].{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Eyewitness accounts and video showed that the plane was on fire before it crashed.<ref name="Guardian" /><ref name="ASN">{{Cite web |last=Ranter |first=Harro |title=ASN Aircraft accident Antonov An-12BK UR-CIC Kavala |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20220716-0 |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=aviation-safety.net |publisher=[[Aviation Safety Network]] |archive-date=18 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718033726/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20220716-0 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Secondary explosions were heard for up to two hours after the crash.<ref name="Guardian" /> Residents within a {{convert|2|km|mi|spell=in}} radius were advised to close windows and stay indoors, while emergency responders, explosives experts and staff from the [[Greek Atomic Energy Commission]] were unable to inspect the wreckage due to uncertainty about the nature and state of any remaining cargo and residues.<ref name="BBC-62195005" /> Drones were used instead to examine the wreckage.<ref name="BBC-62195005" />

==Weapons destination==
Amid speculation that the weapons were destined for Ukraine, Serbia's defence minister [[Nebojša Stefanović]] stated that the weapons shipment was not linked to the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]], and the [[Bangladesh Armed Forces]] confirmed that they were the intended recipients of the weapons,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=All eight crew members killed in cargo plane crash in northern Greece |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220717-cargo-plane-carrying-serbian-defence-material-crashes-in-northern-greece |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=France 24}}</ref> which they bought from a Polish-owned Bosnian company BA-METALEXPORT.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 26, 2022 |title=Crashed Plane was Flying Arms for Polish-Owned Bosnian Company |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/07/26/crashed-plane-was-flying-arms-for-polish-owned-bosnian-company/ |website=Balkan Insight |access-date=27 July 2022 |archive-date=27 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727235032/https://balkaninsight.com/2022/07/26/crashed-plane-was-flying-arms-for-polish-owned-bosnian-company/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Given Serbia's policy of oscillating between the West and Russia and Serbia's weapons industry and political corruption, political scientist Vuk Vuksanovic continued to question whether the plane was indeed transporting Serbian weapons to Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-07-23 |title=Mystery plane crash: Were Serbian weapons headed for Ukraine? |url=https://www.dw.com/en/mystery-plane-crash-were-serbian-weapons-headed-for-ukraine/a-62574069 |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=DW.COM |archive-date=24 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724095312/https://www.dw.com/en/mystery-plane-crash-were-serbian-weapons-headed-for-ukraine/a-62574069 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Investigation==
An investigation was opened by the [[Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board]] (AAIASB) with the support of the [[National Bureau of Air Accidents Investigation of Ukraine]] (NNBAAI). The [[Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung]] (BFU) of [[Germany]] was able to download the [[Flight recorder|Cockpit voice recorder]] that are providing all the essential data to the investigation.<ref name="avherald" />

The investigation found that the airplane was involved in another incident one month before the crash on June 19, 2022. As of December 2023 the investigation is still ongoing and no final report is released.<ref name="ASN" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ur-cic#2cacaf1e Playback flight route on Flight Radar 24]
* [http://mem.aero/ LLC Aircompany Meridian official website]
{{Portal bar|Ukraine|Serbia|Greece|Aviation}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 2022}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Greece}}
[[Category:2022 disasters in Greece]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents by airline of Europe]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Antonov An-12]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2022]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Greece]]
[[Category:History of Kavala]]
[[Category:July 2022 in Europe]]

Meridian Flight 3032 - Revision history

SaraWong: made first data added tags