Plane Was Carrying Peacekeeping Troops

A Soviet-era Ilyushin 76 aircraft crashed Monday on takeoff from Uganda's main airport, impacting Lake Victoria and killing all 11 people onboard.

Agence-France Presse reports the plane (type shown at right) went down Monday morning as it departed for the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Among those onboard were three Burundian officers with a peacekeeping force in Somalia known as AMISOM; officials say the plane was transporting Ugandan troops participating in that effort.

Little is known about why the plane crashed, though one military official cited reports of an onboard fire. "...According to information we are receiving fire broke out on board and then the plane crashed," said Burundi army spokesman Adolphe Manirakiza.

"There were two boats in the water as the plane went down," said Uganda's Information Minister Kabakumba Masiko. "Both boats are destroyed. Four fishermen in those boats somehow survived and they are being treated by the government."

Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority said it was operated by Aerolift, an international charter cargo carrier with significant operations in Africa and Europe.

FMI: www.aerolift.org, www.caa.co.ug/