Nothing Under 20,000 Feet Over Somalia

The FAA has announced a ban on US air carriers and commercial operators from flying at altitudes below 20,000 feet over Somalia.

The FAA was forced to make this prohibition after two crashes in the country in recent weeks, one non-fatal and one fatal. The non-fatal crash occurred on March 9 and involved an Ilyushin Il-76 that exploded after it caught fire "just above the landing gear" while on final approach to Mogadishu while supporting Ugandan peacekeeping forces in Somalia, according to the agency.

This raised concerns over rocket propelled grenades, or RPGs, and shoulder-launched missiles, also known as 'MANPADS' or man-portable air defense systems, according to industry sources.

"There is evidence to support the possibility that the aircraft may have been struck by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) while 2.5-3km off the coast of Somalia at approximately 120m in altitude," the agency writes. Though heavily damaged, the Il-76 was able to successfully land at the airport.

The fatal incident involved a second Il-76 (type shown above) that had flown into Mogadishu with parts and personnel to fix the first aircraft. As Aero-News reported, that plane was shot down during departure on March 23, killing all on board.

"There is a possibility the Il-76 was downed by a manpads missile or RPG," the FAA writes. "These incidents occurred days after unknown individuals mortared the airport at Mogadishu, causing minimal damage." 

FMI: www.faa.gov