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Why world’s biggest plane came to Ghana

The Antonov An-225 Mriya, a strategic cargo flight, arrived at the KIA for a short stop

• One of the world’s largest aircrafts stopped over in Ghana earlier this week

• The Antonov An-225 Mriya, a strategic cargo flight, arrived at the KIA for a short stop

• The six-engine plane was on its way to another African country

The Kotoka International Airport, KIA, on Wednesday (July 7) had a huge visitor when the Antonov An-225 Mriya was given clearance to land.

The plane reputed as one of the world’s largest aircrafts did not take too long to be back on the runway and heading further down the continent.

According to details via AviationGhana.com, the aircraft landed successfully in Ghana at around 4:00pm from Leipzig in Germany.

Why Ghana and for what purpose?

GhanaWeb sources at the Ghana Airports Company Limited said the cargo plane had made a technical stop in order to refuel before completing its journey.

It was carrying medical supplies from Germany to be donated to southern African nation of Namibia.

The country has recently seen an uptick in the number of Coronavirus cases and as a former colonial power, Germany sent material support to help in the fight against the virus.

“The world’s largest aircraft, the Antonov-225, with a consignment of medical equipments and materials landed at the Hosea Kutako International Airport this afternoon.

“The consignment will be used to contain the spread of COVID-19,” Namibia’s Airports Company posted on Twitter on July 8. The post was accompanied with photos of the plane offloading its cargo.

About the Antonov-225

The plane is used more often to transport strategic cargo and for all the load it ‘swallows’ it requires at least six crew made up of a pilot, co-pilot, two flight engineers, a navigator and a radio operator.

The six-engine plane which is estimated to cost between US$200 million and US$250 million is one of only two built in the world and undertakes strategic heavy lifting of cargo transport to specific destinations in the world.

It was first designed during the 1980s in the Soviet Union and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau (ADB) of Ukraine. It has the heaviest fixed-wing for a plane with a maximum take-off weight of 640 tonnes worth of cargo.

While the Airbus A380 Airliner, the An-124 and the Boeing 747 Freighter are relatively huge, the “Antonov An-225 Mriya” is said to be the largest aircraft to ever be built for the aviation industry.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya which carries a NATO code name ‘Cossack’ is currently the only fleet in operation.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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