At least three people were killed on Wednesday when a helicopter belonging to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) crashed while attempting to land at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu.
The helicopter, carrying eight passengers, was en route from Baledogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region, according to Artan Mohamed, the airport’s immigration chief.
The condition of the remaining five individuals remains unknown, confirmed a spokesperson for the Ugandan military.
Eyewitnesses described the helicopter as spinning out of control before crashing and exploding.
“I saw a huge explosion and smoke everywhere,” said local resident Abdirahim Ali.
Aviation officer Omar Farah also reported the aircraft spinning moments before impact.While flights were briefly delayed, normal operations resumed shortly after.
Ahmed Macalin Hassan, Director-General of Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed the runway was cleared and fully operational.
AUSSOM, with over 11,000 personnel from contributing nations including Uganda and Kenya, plays a key role in assisting Somalia’s military against the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Writing by Samson Asije