Last October the French magazine Jeune Afrique reported that the cause of the mysterious crash of a twin-turboprop L-410 Turbolet at Bandundu, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Aug. 25 had been revealed. According to the sole human survivor of the accident, a crocodile concealed in a “sports bag” stored at the back of the cabin escaped as the airplane was approaching Bandundu for landing. Terrified passengers, fleeing the reptile, crowded to the front of the airplane, throwing it off balance and causing the crew to lose control.
Tim Atkinson, an accident investigator in the United Kingdom, was quoted as remarking, “I would say it’s extremely unlikely this story holds water, but I wouldn’t rule it out completely.”
