Afghanistan: The Story Of This Evocative Photo Just Got Even More Amazing
The story behind one of the most-seen photos from Afghanistan this week has a new twist.
It was originally thought there were 640 people being evacuated in the powerful picture.
The US military has since confirmed there were, in fact, 823 Afghan citizens on board the C-17 Globemaster III.
The image shows them being flown from Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on board the US Air Force transport aircraft.
The city's airport has been the scene of chaos this week, with some people being shown in a video clinging on to an American plane as it took off.
CORRECTION: A @usairforce C-17 Globemaster III safely transported 823 Afghan citizens from Hamid Karzai International Airport Aug. 15, 2021. This is a record for this aircraft.⁰
— Air Mobility Command (@AirMobilityCmd) August 20, 2021
The initial count of 640 inadvertently included only adults. 183 children were also aboard. https://t.co/DL6wP8WTQV
According to manufacturer Boeing, a C-17 Globemaster III is designed to carry a payload of 164,900lbs (74,797 kg), with 102 seats for passengers.
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Further details about support available can be found on our website.
Cover image: US Department of Defense.
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