Ugandan Military Helicopter Crashes in Mogadishu Airport: Investigations Underway

The crash occurred in the military section of the airport, with emergency services managing to contain a subsequent fire. Investigations by civil authorities are ongoing as the casualties remain unclear.

A Ugandan military helicopter carrying eight personnel has crashed at the Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to aviation officials. Initial reports indicate that a fire erupted following the incident, but emergency responders were able to quickly control the situation, although smoke was observed billowing from the site. An airport employee, Farah Abdulle, recounted the event to Reuters, stating, “We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter. The smoke entirely covered the helicopter.”

The specific cause of the crash remains unknown, and details regarding the presence of casualties have not yet been verified. Ahmed Maalim, the head of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed that the helicopter had recently traveled from the Balidogle airbase located in the Lower Shabelle region before it went down in the military sector of the airport. He stated that investigations are actively being conducted to ascertain the reasons behind this incident.

Uganda's military presence in Somalia is in support of the African Union (AU) mission, which involves assisting the Somali government in its fight against the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab group. This group has been responsible for a prolonged and violent insurgency, severely impacting regional stability and safety.

As authorities work to gather more information, both local and international communities await further updates on the situation and the ongoing investigation.