Incident
While cruising over the Indian Ocean en route from Mombasa to Mogadishu, the flight crew contacted air traffic control to declare an emergency following an explosion in the cargo compartment. The crew initiated an emergency descent and elected to divert to the nearest airport. Control was subsequently lost, and the aircraft crashed into the sea approximately 200 meters offshore, about 7 kilometers from Malindi.
Rescue and Casualties
Six crew members were rescued from the crash site. Eight other crew members were killed.
Probable Cause
According to official findings, the probable cause of the accident was a 105 mm shell exploding in a gun barrel for unknown reasons.