loading…
The photo was obtained by Defense One. A US defense official told the outlet that about 640 people were on board the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
A US defense official said the plane did not intend to carry so many people, but some Afghans who had been allowed to evacuate pulled themselves onto the road while it was still half-open, and the crew decided to take off anyway.
“It is believed to be one of the most people ever flown on a C-17, a large military cargo aircraft that has been operated by the US and its allies for nearly three decades,” Defense One reported. Insider, Tuesday (17/8/2021).
The report said the plane was flying from Kabul to Qatar.
Also read: Indonesia Finalizes Plan for Evacuation of Indonesian Citizens from Afghanistan
Audio recordings circulating online, cited by Defense One, reveal the reaction of aviation officials to the pilot’s estimate of the number of people on board.
“Okay, how many people do you think were on your jet? Eight hundred people on your jet? Oh my… my. Okay, well, you know, good job taking off,” the tape reads.
Insiders were unable to confirm the authenticity of the footage, which was widely shared by open-source air traffic trackers.
People desperate to escape Afghanistan rushed to Kabul’s international airport. They can be seen climbing over jet bridges to force their way onto the plane, and another video shows people holding on to the exterior of the C-17 desperately as it moves down the runway.
Another video emerged to show people hanging outside the plane falling from the sky.
Also read: Kabul Airport Chaos, Several People Fall While Hanging on Plane Wheels
(ian)
– .
