AKIPRESS.COM - A plane carrying aid supplies for use in the fight against the coronavirus crashed in Somalia on Monday, killing all six people on board, the Somali transport minister said.

He declined to speculate on the cause of the crash, but a former defence minister told Reuters news agency that he spoke to a witness at the airfield who said the plane appeared to have been shot down. 

Six people - the pilot, copilot, flight engineer and a trainee pilot, as well as two people working for the airline - were onboard, said Transport Minister Mohamed Salad. Five bodies were recovered so far, he said.

Salad said he sent a unit to investigate that will arrive on Tuesday, and said he welcomed international assistance.

State-run Somali National News Agency said the plane belonged to African Express Airways and was ferrying supplies for use in the fight against coronavirus.