Deadly Helicopter Crash in Mogadishu Claims Five Lives

A Ugandan military helicopter crashed at Mogadishu's airport, resulting in the deaths of five individuals aboard. The pilot and crew endured serious injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

A Ugandan military helicopter tragically crashed at Somalia's Aden Adde International Airport, leading to a fire that killed five of the six people on board. The sole survivors included the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer, who sustained severe injuries and burns. According to Maj Gen Felix Kulaigye, a spokesman for the Ugandan military, the cause of the accident remains uncertain and is currently under investigation.

Witnesses at the airport described hearing an explosion, with smoke and flames enveloping the helicopter. Emergency services quickly worked to contain the fire, as reported by Somalia’s state-run news agency. The helicopter had been on a routine combat escort mission at the time of the crash and had recently arrived from Balidogle airbase, located approximately 90 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu.

The incident disrupted operations at the airport, delaying a Turkish Airlines passenger flight, though domestic flights continued without significant issues. Ugandan forces are part of a larger African Union contingent working to support the Somali government in its ongoing struggle against the al-Shabab militant group, which has posed a serious threat to peace and security in the region for over two decades.