Air Zimbabwe's single B767-200ER has been used to repatriate almost 200 injured soldiers from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi to their home countries after they were evacuated from rebel M23-controlled Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
ADS-B data shows the evacuation flights with Z-WPF (msn 24867) were operated by South African ACMI/charter specialist Africa Charter Airline (FSK, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) under its 'FSK' code on February 25-26.
Africa Charter Airline confirmed to ch-aviation that it operated the flight sectors from the Zimbabwean capital Harare International to Kigali (Rwanda) and on to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), from which it flew to Lilongwe International (Malawi), and back to Waterkloof (South Africa), before returning to Harare.
According to social media posts, the soldiers were evacuated from Goma to Kigali, as Goma’s airspace remains closed. From Kigali, the aircraft first dropped off the injured Tanzanians in Dar es Salaam before proceeding to Malawi and, finally, South Africa.
Last year, the same B767 made three rotations between Harare and Upington (South Africa) and Goma ferrying South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops in support of their deployment in the DRC.
ch-aviation asked Air Zimbabwe for comment.
According to ADS-B data, Z-WPF was wet-leased to Eznis Airways (MG, Ulaanbaatar) between September 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025. Last year it was briefly chartered by DRC startup Mont Gabaon Airlines (Goma).
Goma will remain closed at least until May 11 due to the armed conflict, the DRC Civil Aviation Authority (Autorite de l'Aviation Civile de la RDC - AAC-RDC) announced last month.
