The Venezuelan Boeing 747, embroiled in a diplomatic saga, faced its final fate as it was dismantled in the United States following its seizure in Argentina.
Images circulating on social media captured the somber dismantling process, marking the conclusion of a contentious chapter that spanned nearly two years. According to the report from Aviacionline, The aircraft, belonging to Venezuelan airline Emtrasur Cargo, found itself at the center of a diplomatic dispute involving the United States, Iran, and Argentina.
The US Department of Justice confirmed late Monday that it had taken custody of the plane after Argentina grounded it 18 months earlier. Washington alleged that the sale of the aircraft to Venezuela violated its sanctions on Iran, citing the involvement of Mahan Air, a carrier linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, condemned the seizure as “blatant theft” and “shameful plunder,” adding it to the list of seized or frozen Venezuelan assets, including the multibillion-dollar oil subsidiary CITGO and various bank accounts. Despite protests and campaigns by the Maduro administration, the dismantling of Emtrasur’s Boeing 747 proceeded without major incident.
The Boeing 747-300, a 36-year-old aircraft, was purchased by Emtrasur in January 2022 from Mahan Air, with technical assistance from Iranian nationals. The plane, equipped with a reported 90-tonne, 600 cubic-meter capacity, was primarily used for cargo shipments from countries like China and India to Venezuela, as well as for delivering humanitarian aid to Caribbean nations.
The confiscation of the aircraft by Argentina in response to US sanctions prompted an outcry from the Venezuelan government, which vowed to pursue all avenues to restore justice and reclaim ownership of the plane. However, the dismantling process signifies the end of this turbulent chapter, leaving behind a trail of diplomatic tensions and legal wrangling.
The post From Seizure to Scrap: The Fate of Venezuela’s Boeing 747 Unveiled appeared first on Jetline Marvel.
