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Somalia, Kenya agree to joint investigation into Berdale crash

Storyline:National News

Presidents Mohamed Farmaajo and Uhuru Kenyatta have agreed on a joint investigation into the fatal crash of a Kenyan aircraft Monday which killed all six people on board, a statement from Nairobi said.

Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry said the two leaders had spoken on phone and agreed to jointly conduct the probe as unconfirmed reports suggested the aircraft may have been brought down by the Ethiopian military in the area.

“President Farmajo invited the Kenya civil aviation authorities to team with their Somalia counterparts with a view to completing the investigations expeditiously,” a statement from the foreign affairs ministry read in part.

According to Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority, the aircraft lost contact some minutes past 1620 hrs local time. “The firm’s operations officer confirms having lost contact with aircraft at approximately 1620hr,” KCAA Director General Gilbert Kibe told the local media.

KCAA said the aircraft departed Mogadishu and landed in Baidoa at 1310 hrs. “The aircraft then departed for Berdale landing at 1600hrs and later departed for Bardhere.”

Kenya’s version of events however seems to contradict Somalia’s position. The Ministry of Transport and Aviation in Somalia said the crash happened at around 1530hrs local time.