Equatorial Guinea detains French military helicopter amid strained ties

Equatorial Guinea has detained a French military helicopter carrying six soldiers, in a diplomatic incident that demonstrated the strained ties between Malabo and Paris.

French military spokesman Colonel Pascal Ianni said on Thursday the six soldiers on board the helicopter were not armed. 

It was travelling from Douala in neighbouring Cameroon to a French military base in Libreville, Gabon and had stopped in Bata to refuel, he said, denying any intent to harm Equatorial Guinea.

"The authorities in Equatorial Guinea decided to detain the helicopter. The issue is being resolved at the diplomatic level," Ianni said.

READ MORE: Son of Equatorial Guinea's president goes on trial in Paris

Link with Mangue verdict?

The helicopter landed in Equatorial Guinea's mainland port of Bata on Wednesday evening, hours after a French court upheld a guilty verdict in an embezzlement case against Equatorial Guinea's Vice President Teodoro Obiang Mangue. 

Neither side spoke publicly of any link between the two incidents.

Mangue, who is the son and heir-apparent of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, tweeted that a "reconnaisance helicopter" had landed without authorisation after violating Equatorial Guinea's air space.

"This demonstrates once again the intention of France to destabilise the Republic of Equatorial Guinea," he said.

Money laundering case

Mangue, whose father has ruled Equatorial Guinea for 42 years, was found guilty in France in 2017 of money laundering and embezzlement. 

He was given a three-year suspended sentence and a large fine, and a number of properties were confiscated including a Parisian mansion and luxury cars.

The Equatorial Guinea government and the president's son have not commented on the French court ruling to uphold the conviction. 

They have argued that the case violated his right to diplomatic immunity.

READ MORE: Equatorial Guinea shuts UK embassy to protest sanctions on vice president

One of the most enclosed nations

The only Spanish-speaking country in sub-Saharan Africa, Equatorial Guinea is one of the most enclosed nations in the continent, and many of its people live in deep poverty despite oil wealth.

Its ruler Obiang, 79, is the world's longest-serving sitting president and is frequently accused by rights groups of abuses.

In 1979, he ousted his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema, who had ruled the country since independence from Spain in 1968, and had him shot by firing squad.