Ugandan military helicopter crashes in Somalia
The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained
A Ugandan military helicopter deployed as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu International Airport on Wednesday, according to a Ugandan military spokesperson who spoke to Reuters.
Of the eight people on board, three survived, said spokesperson Felix Kulayigye, although he did not disclose the condition of the remaining five.
Emergency responders were working to extinguish a fire that broke out at the crash site, Kulayigye added.
In a statement, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) confirmed that search and rescue operations were underway to locate and recover the remaining crew and passengers.
According to AUSSOM, the helicopter crash-landed just moments before it was due to touch down at Mogadishu’s international airport.
Earlier that day, Somalia’s state-run news agency SONNA reported that the helicopter caught fire after the crash.
“We heard the explosion and then saw smoke and flames rising from the helicopter,” said Farah Abdulle, an airport worker, speaking to Reuters. “The smoke completely engulfed the aircraft.”
AUSSOM currently has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia supporting the country’s military in its fight against the Islamist militant group al Shabaab.
Al Shabaab, which is linked to al Qaeda, has been waging an insurgency for nearly 20 years, seeking to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognized government and impose its own strict version of Sharia law.
