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No military items on Zim plane
09/03/2004 19:37 - (SA)
Pretoria - The cargo plane impounded at Harare's airport on Sunday was carrying 64 mining contractors to the Democratic Republic of Congo, their employer said on Tuesday.
The British company Logo said what had been described as "military" items on board were in fact equipment such as boots, pipe-bending and wire-cutting tools.
"We can make it clear that we have no current or intended business in Zimbabwe and certainly no illegal intentions against its government and people," the company said in a statement.
It said the aircraft was recently purchased and still registered in the United States.
"There is no other link with the US," the company said.
In South Africa, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that the aircraft was not registered in South Africa, as initially believed, but in the US.
The CAA also confirmed that the Boeing 727-100 landed at Polokwane International Airport. Whether it flew straight from there to Zimbabwe was not known, the agency said.
Logo said its equipment was normally acquired in South Africa. It did not give details on the flight path of the aircraft before it entered Zimbabwean air space.
- SAPA
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