A helicopter deployed by an African Union peacekeeping mission has crashed at the international airport in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, resulting in the deaths of five passengers, as reported by a Ugandan military spokesperson.
Three of the helicopter’s eight occupants survived the incident on Wednesday, though they sustained serious injuries and burns, the spokesperson, Felix Kulayigye, revealed.
The crash triggered munitions on board to explode, leading to the destruction of nearby structures and injuring three civilians, he noted.
The helicopter had taken off from Baledogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region before crash-landing at Aden Adde International Airport just prior to touchdown, as confirmed by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
AUSSOM also confirmed that at least three individuals had survived the crash, which took place around 7:30 am local time (04:30 GMT).
Abdirahim Ali, a local resident, stated he witnessed “a massive explosion and smoke everywhere.” Aviation officer Omar Farah informed The Associated Press that he “saw the helicopter spinning before it fell at great speed.”
While minor delays were reported at the airport, the director-general of the country’s civil aviation authority stated that flights had resumed.
“The situation is under control. The runway is clear and fully operational – flights can land and take off as usual,” remarked Ahmed Macalin Hassan.
The AUSSOM mission includes over 11,000 personnel in Somalia from various nations, including Uganda and Kenya. They are aiding the Somali military in its fight against the armed group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate aiming to overthrow the government and establish its own regime.
This week, the Somali army reportedly killed a notable leader of the group in the Middle Shabelle region, as per state media reports.
Citing military sources, the Somali National News Agency stated that the leader was targeted during an operation in the Dar Nama’a area.
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