An Ethiopian Airlines flight was Wednesday denied access to Somalia airspace after Mogadishu authorities said it lacked proper permission.
The aircraft reported to be carrying a high-level Ethiopian delegation, was said to have been heading to Hargeisa, the capital of the breakaway Somaliland.
Somalia civil aviation said it ordered the return of the Ethiopian flight for lacking necessary clearance to use Somali airspace.
“Today, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority took action to turn back an Ethiopian Airlines plane, Dash 8-Q400, flight number ET8372, from Somali airspace as it was found to be unauthorised. Adhering to international air rules and our rules, flights must obtain proper permission before entering airspace”, said the agency.
The development comes amid a diplomatic row between Somalia and Ethiopia after Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding to secure its access to the Red Sea with the separatist Somaliland.
Source: The East African.
