Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, the Gambia) – On Saturday, four Airbus aircraft operated by Magic Air, a Gambian-registered company with a dubious reputation, were ferried to Belarus—a nation under Western sanctions prohibiting the import of aircraft and parts. This development mirrors a similar incident earlier this year when another mysterious Gambian company, Macka Invest, secretly flew its planes to Iran and Afghanistan in February.

The aircraft in question arrived in Belarus from Cairo, Istanbul, and Muscat International Airport. These airports served as the departure points for Magic Air’s Airbus A320 and A330 jets, which have a suspicious operational history marked by frequent storage periods and failed leases.

In our August edition of The Gambia Journal Confidential, we highlighted how The Gambia has become a haven for shadowy air companies operating with unclear intentions. Among these, Magic Air stands out. On Saturday, the company flew its four aircraft—three Airbus A330s and one A320—in a convoy to Belarus. Their arrival in Minsk has sparked further speculation about the secretive operations connected to The Gambia. Allegations of involvement by high-ranking officials in these suspicious activities are also circulating, heightening the intrigue around the situation.

How Magic Air Used The Gambia as a Cover

Magic Air’s fleet consists of four aircraft with puzzling histories: an Airbus A320-200 (C5-TAA) and three Airbus A330-200s (C5-TAB, C5-TAC, and C5-TAD). All share a common pattern—multiple lease agreements, extended storage at various global locations, and leases that never materialized, suggesting potential hidden motives behind their operations.

The company has owned these planes since 2023 but has yet to begin any official operations. Notably, none of these aircraft have ever flown to The Gambia, and Magic Air has not brought any of its fleet to Banjul. The company’s website, launched in August 2023, is shrouded in mystery, revealing no information about the owners, aircraft, or future plans—only a cryptic “Coming Soon” message is displayed.

The limited available data shows that Magic Air’s first aircraft, an Airbus A320 nearly 19 years old, was delivered in October 2023. Three additional Airbus A330-200s, all around 21 years old, were added in November. All four planes were previously operated by Lebanon’s Sky Aviation and had frequently changed ownership before being acquired by Magic Air.

The A320-200, originally delivered to Jetstar Airways in 2005, underwent several modifications and storage periods before its acquisition by Magic Air. It remains stored at Istanbul Airport. The A330-200s, which began their service with Emirates, have equally complex histories, cycling through various operators like Onur Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines. These aircraft spent long periods in storage and had multiple leases that never took effect, raising suspicions about the reasons behind these failed deals.

Instead of transferring these aircraft to The Gambia, Magic Air kept them parked in Istanbul-Atatürk, Cairo, and Muscat until last week, when they were suddenly flown to Belarus. The coordinated movements of these planes—departing within hours of each other—suggest an attempt to circumvent international sanctions. Delivering aircraft to Russian airlines is currently prohibited, making this detour via The Gambia appear as a calculated maneuver to bypass restrictions.

On Friday, August 16, the Airbus A330 registered as C5-TAC left Cairo. On Saturday, August 17, the A320 (C5-TAA) took off from Istanbul, followed by two A330s (C5-TAB and C5-TAD) departing Muscat. They all landed at Minsk National Airport in Belarus before immediately leaving for Russia. They were last tracked near Kudinovo in the Russian Federation later that same day, according to reports from the Russian aviation channel Aviatorshina.

Earlier this month, The Gambia Journal published an in-depth investigation revealing that Magic Air’s registration of these aircraft in The Gambia raises significant red flags. The findings suggest a shell company scheme designed to evade international sanctions similar to those targeting Iran and Russia.

Magic Air is not alone in this questionable activity. Other airlines registered in The Gambia seem to be employing similar tactics to conceal their true operations, involving frequent ownership transfers, prolonged storage, and routes through airports notorious for shady dealings. The new arrival in Minsk has sparked further speculation in the aviation world and the intelligence community about the secretive operations connected to The Gambia, heightening the intrigue around the situation.