MOGADISHU, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Somali aviation authorities have launched an investigation after a Kenyan registered aircraft crashed on the runway of Aden Adde International Airport in the capital Mogadishu on Monday.

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said all the 36 passengers on board the aircraft, with registration number 5Y-JXN operated by Jubba Airways, were rescued after it crashed at about 11:28 a.m..

"The aircraft had a total of 36 passengers onboard including crew members. All persons onboard the aircraft survived from the incident," Ahmed Moallin Hassan, SCAA Director-General said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

The authorities have not established the cause of the crash but a preliminary report on the incident will be released once the current investigation has been concluded.

The crash prompted a brief closure of the airport, forcing flights to be diverted. The airport has since been reopened.

The aircraft crashed and then caught fire as plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing from the wreckage.

The heavily guarded airport hosts diplomatic missions and serves as a hub for humanitarian flights in Somalia trying to rebuild after more than two decades of conflict.

Some Kenyan registered planes have been involved in similar incidents in the past in Somalia. Enditem

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