AMISOM Equipment Plane Afire on Mogadishu Landing

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001134 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S FRAZER E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2017 TAGS: PTER ASEC MOPS SO ET UG SUBJECT: AMISOM Equipment Plane Afire on Mogadishu Landing Classified by PolOff John O'Leary. Reason 1.4 (b) & (d). ¶1. (U) A cargo plane carrying military equipment for Uganda's AMISOM contingent reportedly landed while on fire at Mogadishu International Airport this morning, March 9. According to the African Union's representative in Nairobi, who was in contact with Ethiopian and Ugandan military officers at the Mogadishu airport, the crew escaped without injury and the cargo was undamaged. ¶2. (C) According to the AU representative, the pilot believed that the plane had been hit by a "missile" fired from the direction of the sea. A press source in Mogadishu confirmed the fire on the plane and stated that the Mogadishu media have received calls from individuals claiming that they or their groups fired one or more surface-to-air missiles at the aircraft. At this time, however, there is nothing to corroborate these claims; and, according to an Ethiopian officer on the scene, officials believe the incident resulted from mechanical failure on landing or just prior to landing. According to the press source, the crew has been instructed not to talk to the media. ¶3. (U) The Ethiopian officer stated that officials have established a nine-member commission composed of Ugandan, Ethiopian, and Somali TFG representatives to investigate the incident. ¶4. (U) The plane reportedly is a Russian Ilyushin-76 four-engine jet aircraft rented by Jubba Airlines from one of the former Soviet republics. According to the press source in Mogadishu, Jubba has a sub-contract to ferry Ugandan equipment from Entebbe to Mogadishu. Ranneberger