May 13, 2010 - On Wednesday morning about 6 AM  Afriqiyah Airways A Libyan airliner Flight 771 crashed on landing at Tripoli International Airport, Libya killing all onboard except one child. It has been reported that the Airbus A330-202 was carrying 104 onboard. That is 11 crew members and 94 passengers.

The 10-year old Dutch boy was transported to a Tripoli hospital where he underwent surgery. Medical personnel have reported his condition was not life threatening. "The boy suffered broken legs and was injured in the head," a hospital official told reporters after the child came out of the operating room. It was reported that the 8 year old child, Ruben  van Assouw had been traveling with his parents, Trudy and Patrick van Assouw and his 11 year old brother Enzo.

Afriqiyah Airways, Flight 771 had departed Johannesburg International Airport about 10 PM and had arrived Tripoli International Airport nine hours later. Flight 771 was on its final approach when it crashed just short of the runway. Flight 771 was scheduled to land and then depart for Gatwick Airport, London, United Kingdom.

Afriqiyah Airways was an inspiration that has come to materialize the dream of linking the African countries directly with one another, hence the name Afriqiyah which stands for African, and without the need to suffer through the long connecting flights from Africa to Europe and then back to Africa again.

		Weather conditions above the airport were very poor at the time of the crash, said an Afriqiyah staff member. Low-hanging clowds had reduced visibility. Witnesses reported the aircraft broke apart while it was on its approach, ?it exploded on landing and totally disintegrated". Officials have retrieved the two ?Black boxes.? Airbus has sent a team of investigators to the crash site to assist with determining the cause of the crash. An well known Irish writer, Bree O?Mara, author of ?Home Affairs? was reported to have been a passenger onboard. Afriqiyah Airways purchased the Airbus A330-202 back in September 2009. The aircraft was last serviced on March 5th by German airline Lufthansa and has only flown since that time 1,586 hours. The Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen reported the death toll numbers may drop because the numbers that have been reported are from the booking of passengers and not from the actual manifest of those who actually boarded the flight.
Dutch child Ruben Vanassouw in Tripoli hospital

It has been reported that 59 Dutch , 7 South Africans, 2 Libyans, 2 Austrians, 1 German, 1 Zimbabwean, 1 French, 2 British, 17 Unknown (to be notified upon confirmation), and 11 Crew members (Libyan nationalities) were onboard. Afriqiyah Airways is working together with the South African immigration and airport Authorities to determine the exact identities and nationalities of the passengers on board of flight 771.