Kenyan plane crashed in Somalia on donkeys mishap

Donkeys in Tana River, Kenya. A Sh0.5 billion Kenyan plane crashed in Somalia after rogue donkeys triggered the mishap. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

What you need to know:

  • 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.

A Sh0.5 billion Kenyan plane crashed in Somalia after rogue donkeys triggered the mishap.

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 plane took an unusual altitude and swerved off the runway before crashing into heaps of sand on the flight strip.

Air crash investigators have travelled 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 plane, 5Y-VVU, which the UN had contracted to deliver food and other supplies to Beledwyene in central Somalia.