The Mauritanian Civil Aviation Authority - l’Agence Nationale de l’aviation civile (ANAC) - has grounded a Mauritanian Airlines International (L6) Boeing 737-500 (MSN 28469 | 5T-CLA) at its home base, Nouakchott International Airport, following revelations the aircraft had exceeded its maximum permissible flying cycles.  |
| Mauritania Airlines 737 5T-CLA (Globespotter) |
According to l'Agence Nouakchott d'Information, the grounding came after an inspection by ANAC who subsequently sent Mauritania Airlines' management and ASECNA's (The Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar) representative in Nouakchott letters explaining the detention of the aircraft.
In May 2012, 5T-CLA was involved in a minor incident in Bamako, Mali in which it went off the runway after a takeoff roll of about 100 m. The nose landing gear sustained damage.
On
4 December, the European Commission announced that Mauritania had been removed from the EU's so-called No-Fly List. All air carriers certified in Mauritania were removed from the list following "exceptional progress achieved by the competent authorities and the prospect of an on-site verification visit to be conducted by the Commission soon."
Mauritania's progress was acknowledged by two successful missions conducted on site by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). As this is the first time a full ban affecting all air carriers from a State is removed, Mauritania has committed to authorising flights to the EU under strict conditions only.
Last
December, Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in a letter to the CEO of ANAC, noted that Mauritania's progress should set an example for other countries whose civil aviation safety records are, at best, patchy.
