A Ugandan military helicopter crashed and caught fire at the main international airport in Mogadishu, Somalia, resulting in the deaths of five people on board.
The aircraft’s pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived the crash but sustained serious injuries and severe burns. Ugandan military spokesman Maj Gen Felix Kulaigye confirmed the casualties and stated that an investigation into the cause of the accident is currently under way.
According to airport staff and news reports, a blast was heard before smoke and flames entirely covered the helicopter. Emergency services at Aden Adde International Airport were able to quickly contain the fire. The helicopter had been performing a routine combat escort mission and was flying into the airport’s military section from the Balidogle airbase, located about 90km northwest of the capital.
Ugandan troops are part of an 11,000-strong African Union force supporting the Somali government against the al-Shabab group. While the crash caused a delay for a Turkish Airlines passenger plane, domestic flights at the airport continued to operate normally.