picture 179066

On 6 April 1973 the PAIGC’s anti-aircraft artillery group, under the command of Commandant Manuel dos Santos ‘Manecas,’ downed two Dornier Do- 27s (3470 and 3333) with Strela missiles over northern Guinea. The first, piloted by Baltazar da Silva and carrying two passengers, crashed between Bigene and Guidage; there were no survivors. The second, piloted by António Ferreira with an army major, a wounded soldier, and a nurse on board, was shot down between Guidage and Bissalanca, killing all embarked. On the same day, a T-6 Texan taking part in the search for the missing planes was also shot down by a missile, killing the pilot. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)