MOGADISHU, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's aviation authority has confirmed that five people were killed when a cargo aircraft crashed on Saturday evening in the southwest of the country.

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said the DHC-5D Buffalo, with registration number 5Y-RBA, went down at around 5:43 p.m. local time (1443 GMT), about 24 km southwest of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

"There were five persons on board, all of whom have tragically lost their lives," the SCAA said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

It said the aircraft, operated by Kenya-based Trident Aviation Ltd., had departed from Dhobley, a strategic border town in southwestern Somalia, en route to Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu.

The aviation authority did not provide details on the cause of the crash but said that the government agencies, along with partners, are on-site for search and rescue purposes.

"Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available," the SCAA said. Enditem

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