Five people on board a Kenya-registered cargo aircraft have perished following a tragic crash near Mogadishu, Somalia.
Preliminary reports indicate that the cargo plane was returning from Dhobley town in the Lower Juba region after delivering supplies to the African Union forces when it crashed on Saturday, March 22 at around 5:43 pm local time.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), in a statement on Sunday, confirmed that the aircraft crash occurred approximately 24km southwest of Mogadishu.
The aircraft involved was a DHC-5D Buffalo, with serial number 109 and registration 5Y-RBA.
Kenyan plane crashes in Somalia
According to SCAA, the aircraft was operated by Trident Aviation Ltd.
“There were five persons on board (POB), all of whom have tragically lost their lives. The flight had departed from Dhobley (HCDB) and was en route to Aden Abdulle International Airport (HCMM),” the statement reads.
“Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected.”
Also Read: Sudan General Dies in Military Plane Crash
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority further said that government agencies, along with partners, are already on-site for search and rescue purposes.
Initial reports on Saturday indicated that 4 Kenyan nationals were on board on the plane.
The cargo plane is said to have experienced mechanical problems on Saturday while it was in Dhobley but reports further said that it was fixed, according to the Somaliland Standard.
SCAA has said that it shall provide more information about the tragedy as soon as it becomes available, while promising to conduct a thorough investigation in collaboration with the government to determine the cause of the accident.
Another cargo plane crashes
In January 2024, a pilot was killed when another cargo plane crashed-landed in El Barde town, Somalia.
Also Read: Passenger Shares Video of Last Moments Before Plane Crash That Killed Dozens
The Aviation Safety Network (ASN) in a report said the incident occurred near Ceel Barde [El Barde] Airstrip on January 18.
Jetways Airlines was identified as the owner of the aircraft, registration 5Y-JWG.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) in a statement said the UN had contracted the cargo plane and that it crash-landed on an airstrip in El-Barde in Somalia’s Southwest State.
“The aircraft was transporting humanitarian supplies for the World Food Programme when it veered off the runway. Initial reports indicate there was one fatality and two people injured,” UNSOM said. “The United Nations is working with the contracted airline company and federal and South West State authorities to investigate the incident.”
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and join our WhatsApp Group for real-time news updates
