BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/03/2007

Belarus cargo plane attacked in Somalia, nobody hurt

MOSCOW, Mar 12, 2007 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A Belarussian transport plane was attacked as it was landing at an airport in Somalia on Monday, but no one was hurt, the Interfax news agency reported citing a Belarussian official.

An Ilyushin Il-76 jet of the transport company Transaviaexport "came under fire from a mobile grenade launcher at the height of 150 meters when landing in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu," an official of the Transport and Communication Ministry was quoted as saying.

"As far as we know, the assailant opened fire from a small boat," he said.

The aircraft successfully landed and the nine crew members and six others on board were unhurt. The fuselage of the plane was damaged.

The plane was carrying humanitarian cargo for the peacekeeping mission of the African Union forces in Somalia.

Source:

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YSAR-6Z8N3N?OpenDocument