The incident happened at Aden Adde International Airport, raising concerns about aviation safety amidst ongoing military operations against insurgents.
**Tragic Helicopter Crash at Mogadishu Airport Claims Five Lives**
**Tragic Helicopter Crash at Mogadishu Airport Claims Five Lives**
A Ugandan military helicopter tragically crashes in Somalia, resulting in five fatalities and injuries to three crew members.
A Ugandan military helicopter has crashed and ignited at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport, resulting in the deaths of five individuals on board. The pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer managed to survive but sustained serious injuries and severe burns, according to Major General Felix Kulaigye, a spokesman for the Ugandan military. An investigation into the cause of the unfortunate crash is currently underway.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud blast followed by smoke and flames engulfing the helicopter. Farah Abdulle, a staff member at the airport, described the scene as chaotic, with thick smoke obscuring visibility. Fortunately, emergency services quickly contained the fire, preventing it from spreading further.
The helicopter was part of an African Union (AU) force, comprising roughly 11,000 troops, that assists the Somali government in combatting the Al-Shabaab insurgency, which has terrorized the nation for over twenty years. Major General Kulaigye noted that the craft was on a routine combat escort mission when the incident occurred.
According to Ahmed Maalim, head of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, the helicopter had been returning from the Balidogle airbase, located approximately 90 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu, and crashed in the airport’s military section. The incident caused a delay in the departure of a Turkish Airlines flight, but domestic flight operations continued without major disruption.
