Mogadishu(SONNA)-Civilian plane from Djibouti carrying food shipment on Tuesday crashed during landing at Ugaas Khalif Airport in Beledweyne town in Hiiraan region in central Somalia.
Col. Abdirahman Riyale, Sector 4 Commander of Djiboutian Army under the African Union Peacekeeping Troops told reporters, at the airport that they rescued three crew members of the plane, confirming that all the food shipment burnt down.
“ It was misfortunate that a civilian plane carrying food crashed and burnt down, we rescued people who were among the crew, but the food was completely burnt down”, Mr. Riyale said.
He said that the food shipment was part of aid that Djiboutian Government intended to support to people affected by the recent flooding hit Beledweyne town in Hiiraan region.
On his part,Ali Jeyte Osman, Governor of Hiiraan region said that his administration could not put out the fire that set the plane at the airport because of lack of fire engines, and requested from the federal Government to bring these to the region to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Charles Imbiakha, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) spokesperson said that investigations to establish the cause of the plane crash will be launched soon.
Sources said the aircraft, registered as 5Y-VVU, operated by Kenya’s Bluebird Aviation was carrying humanitarian aid and supplies for the AMISOM members based at Beledweyne airport.
The airline’s Dash 8-400 freighter aircraft are operated on charter flights for governments and international aid agencies operating in East Africa.
The latest incident is the second after a Kenyan plane carrying health supplies was mistakenly shot down by Ethiopian troops on May 4, killing six people on board.
Source: SONNA/ Xinhua
