Two IL76’s involved in Saudi airbrigde of relief goods to Syria. Sapsan swapped the hex codes
Saudia Arabia government chartered two Sapsan IL76’s to fly relief goods to Syria. Based on video’s it is clear that Sapsan swapped the ICAO hex codes between its two IL76 aircraft.
EX-76005 is using hex 6010F6 now
EX-76008 is using hex 6010EC now
This is a video of a live broadcast recording the arrival of IL76 EX-76005 at Damascus. The time shows 8:21 GMT. That is exactly the time of arrival of flight KGB 4973 at January 2. However Flightradar24 shows this flight as EX-76008 based on the previously known hex code 6010F6.
EX-76005 at January 2 only had the stickers applied at the tailsection. There were no King Salman stickers applied just behind the cockpit windows.
The other IL76 of Sapsan , reported by Flightradar as EX-76005 was at January 2 , at 8:21 GMT still parked at Al Ain in the UAE.
That cannot be the case. The live broadcast at January 2, around 08:20 GMT clearly shows EX-76005 at Damascus.
More proof for EX-76005 now uses hex 6010F6 is in this video posted at X at January 1, 2025. The video shows EX-76005 at Damascus. According Flightradar EX-76008 flew at January 1 as KGB 4973 from Riyadh to Damascus. It arrived there at around 08:20 UTC. The Tweet was posted at 09:28 UTC time.
At that time according to FR24 EX-76005 was still flying over Saudi Arabia heading to Damascus. At January 1 both EX-76005 and EX-76008 flew from Riyadh to Damascus.
A third proof the hex-id were switch is of a source who also confirmed that EX-76008 using hex 6010EC landed at Abidjan at January 16, 2025.
This is a video showing the arrival of IL76 EX-76005 (hex 6010EC) at Damascus airport . The video was uploaded at January 2, 2025.
Also EX-76008 was used by Saudi Arabia for the airlift.
This photo below shows likely EX-76008 as it has a King Salman sticker at the cockpit. At the tail a sticker showing palm tree and two swords was applied to both aircraft.
EX-76005 tail section
EX-76008 cockpit section
EX-76008 tail section
