Kenya demands probe as plane crash kills six

Kenya’s foreign ministry called yesterday for a swift investigation after a plane carrying medical supplies to assist in the fight against the coronavirus crashed in Somalia in unclear circumstances, killing all six people on board.

The Kenyan private cargo plane was undertaking a humanitarian mission related to the pandemic when it crashed on Monday afternoon in Bardale district in southern Somalia, the ministry said.

Officials said at least six people were on board for the short flight from Baidoa to Bardale, about 300km northwest of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

“The aircraft was about to land at the Bardale airstrip when it crashed and burst into flames.

“All six people onboard died in the incident,” police official Abdulahi Isack said by phone.

“We don’t know what exactly caused the aircraft carrying medical supplies to crash, but there is an investigation going on to establish the details.”

Kenya urged Somalia “to thoroughly and swiftly investigate the matter because it impacts humanitarian operations at a time of highest need”.

“The incident occurred under unclear circumstances,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, expressing its “deep shock and regret” and offering condolences to the families of the deceased.

“Kenyan and other humanitarian aircraft operating in the region are also urged to en hance extra precaution in light of the unclear circumstances surrounding the incident,” the ministry said.

The Al-Shabaab militant group is active in southern Somalia, but the area where the crash occurred is under the control of the government and Ethiopian troops.

Soldiers from Ethiopia and Kenya are among those deployed to Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission fighting the Islamist insurgents, who control swathes of countryside.

Ethiopian National Defence Force spokesperson MajorGeneral Mohammed Tessema said he had no information about the crash and referred questions to armed force commanders in Somalia.

In a statement, Somalia’s transport and civil aviation ministry expressed its deep regret over the crash and said the government was conducting a thorough investigation.

It said the Embraer 120 twin-turboprop was operated by African Express, which is headquartered in Nairobi.

The crash comes amid strained ties between Kenya and Somalia.

Kenya accused Somali troops laast month of an “unwarranted attack” over its border near Mandera, a northern outpost town, describing the incident as a provocation.

Somalia has, meanwhile, long accused its larger neighbour of meddling in its internal affairs, something Kenya has denied. —