Tanzania’s foreign ministry has disclosed that Air Tanzania’s latest De Havilland Dash 8-400 has been seized in Canada before its delivery flight to the carrier’s base.
Tanzania’s foreign ministry has disclosed that Air Tanzania’s latest De Havilland Dash 8-400 has been seized in Canada before its delivery flight to the carrier’s base.
The aircraft has been impounded “just days” before it was due to be flown to Tanzania, says the office of foreign affairs minister Palamagamba John Kabudi.
It marks the latest development in a bizarre legal battle, centred on a compensation issue, with an individual identified as Hermanus Steyn who was behind the detention of an Airbus A220 in August.
Previous interventions have also attempted to impound Boeing 787s.
Kabudi’s office says he has expressed “regret” over the latest seizure which follows a lawsuit filed against the country in a Canadian court.
He has summoned the Canadian ambassador, the office adds, to explain why the Canadian government is “allowing” such judicial actions to take place.
Air Tanzania has five Dash 8-400s on order, through the Tanzanian government, of which three have already been delivered.
Two A220-300s are in service with the carrier but the airline is to take another pair under an order with Airbus placed in October.
