NAIROBI, July 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Kenyan cargo plane that crashed in Somalia last week was triggered by rogue donkeys that were grazing near the runway, a preliminary investigation report said.
Preliminary reports from Somali Civil Aviation Authority indicate the animals were grazing on shrubs close to the runway when the landing aircraft frightened them and caused them to dash towards the flight path.
The Sh0.5 billion plane took an unusual altitude and swerved off the runway before crashing into heaps of sand on the flight strip.
Air crash investigators have traveled to Somalia to establish what transpired, causing the crash last week.
After the Somalia crash, the pilot, captain Farah Ahmed, and first officer Shukri Farah, both Kenyans, were flown back to Nairobi. The captain, first officer and another passenger did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
Blue Bird Aviation operates the plane, 5Y-VVU, which the UN had contracted to deliver food and other supplies to Beledwyene in central Somalia. — NNN-AGENCIES
