1993 Sukhumi airliner attacks
Part of War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)
Overview of Sukhumi Airport
Location	Sukhumi Babushara Airport, Georgia
Coordinates	42°51′29″N 041°07′41″E / 42.85806°N 41.12806°E / 42.85806; 41.12806
Date	20–23 September 1993

1993 Sukhumi airliner attacks

Occurrence
Date	20–23 September 1993
Summary	Shoot down, destroyed on the ground
Site	Georgia, Black Sea
Total fatalities	136
Total survivors	29
First aircraft
The crashed aircraft in Aeroflot livery
Type	Tupolev Tu-134A-3
Operator	Transair Georgia
Registration	4L-65893
Flight origin	Sochi Airport
Destination	Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport
Passengers	22
Crew	5
Fatalities	27 (all)
Survivors	0
Second aircraft
A Orbi Georgian Airways Tu-154B, similar to the aircraft involved in the accident
Type	Tupolev Tu-154B
Operator	Orbi Georgian Airways
Registration	4L-85163
Flight origin	Novo Alexeyevka Airport
Destination	Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport
Passengers	120
Crew	12
Fatalities	108
Survivors	24
Third aircraft
Type	Tupolev Tu-134A
Operator	Transair Georgia
Registration	CCCP-65001
Flight origin	Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport
Destination	Novo Alexeyevka Airport
Passengers	24
Crew	6
Fatalities	1
Survivors	29

From 20 to 23 September 1993, during the Sukhumi massacre, separatists in Sukhumi, Abkhazia blocked Georgian troops' overland supply routes as part of the war in Abkhazia.^[1] In response, the Georgian government used Sukhumi Babushara Airport to ferry supplies to troops stationed in Sukhumi. Abkhaz forces attacked the airport in an attempt to further block the supply routes.

During the siege of the airport, five civilian airliners belonging to Transair Georgia and Orbi Georgian Airways were hit by missiles allegedly fired by separatists in Sukhumi. Over 130 people died in the attacks.^[1][2][3]

20 September

Two Orbi Georgian Airways' Tupolev Tu-134As (registration 4L-65808 and 4L-65809) were destroyed by Abkhaz small arms fire or missiles with no casualties.^[4][5][6]

21 September

A Transair Тu-134А-3 (built in 1975 with registration 4L-65893 and factory number 5340120^[7]) was flying to Sukhumi from Sochi International Airport. The crew consisted of captain Geras Georgievich Tabuev, first officer Otar Grigorievich Shengelia, and navigator Sergey Alexandrovich Shah, as well as two flight attendants; G. K. Kvaratskhelia and O. I. Morgunov. Тhe 22 passengers were mainly journalists. At 16:25, at an altitude of 980 feet (300 m), the aircraft was hit on approach to Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport by a Strela 2 surface-to-air missile. The missile had been fired from an Abkhaz boat commanded by Toriy Achba. The plane crashed into the Black Sea, killing all five crew members and 22 passengers.^[8] Other sources reported 28 people on board (six crew members and 22 passengers).^{[1][2][8][9][10]}

22 September

An Orbi Georgian Airways Tu-154B aircraft (built in 1976 with registration 4L-85163 and factory number 76А-163^[11]) flying from Tbilisi and carrying civilians and internal security forces was on approach to Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport when it was struck by surface-to-air missiles. The plane crash-landed on the airstrip; the ensuing fire killed 108 of the 132 passengers and crew,^{[9][12][13][14]} making the incident the deadliest aviation disaster to occur in Georgia.^[15] Georgian media claimed that the flight was carrying refugees, but there was no factual evidence to back up these claims.^[16][17]

Another Tu-154 was attacked later in the evening, but landed safely.^[18]

23 September

Passengers were boarding a Transair Tu-134A (built in 1975 with registrations CCCP-65001 and factory number 42235) at Sukhumi when it was struck by rockets from an Abkhaz BM-21 Grad rocket launcher. It caught fire and burned, leaving one crew member dead. The aircraft was due to operate a Sukhumi-Tbilisi service.^[18][19][20]

On the same day, an ORBI Tu-154 (registration 4L-85359^[21]) was reportedly destroyed by mortar or artillery fire.^[22]

References