The video: A plane comes into the camera's view, its nose appropriately pitched upward after takeoff. But instead of propelling onward and out of sight, the airplane hangs in the air for a moment, almost upright, before falling suddenly to the ground. It immediately erupts into a ball of flame upon contact with the Earth.
The Taliban initially claimed responsibility for the crash. But NATO immediately shot down that assertion, saying there were no reports of insurgent activity in or around the base — the biggest in Afghanistan.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The National Transportation Safety Board is reportedly sending a team of investigators, as well as representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing, to Afghanistan to assist local authorities.
Early evidence suggests some cargo in the hold of the plane may have shifted during takeoff.
-
Farage’s £9m windfall: will it smooth his path to power?In Depth The record donation has come amidst rumours of collaboration with the Conservatives and allegations of racism in Farage's school days
-
The issue dividing Israel: ultra-Orthodox draft dodgersIn the Spotlight A new bill has solidified the community’s ‘draft evasion’ stance, with this issue becoming the country’s ‘greatest internal security threat’
-
Codeword: December 13, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
