A Ugandan military helicopter crashed and subsequently caught fire at the Aden Adde International Airport in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, leading to the deaths of five people on board. The aircraft, which was on a routine combat escort mission, left the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer with serious injuries and severe burns, according to Ugandan military spokesman Maj Gen Felix Kulaigye. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
Witnesses reported hearing a blast and seeing smoke and flames engulfing the helicopter. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter," said Farah Abdulle, an airport staff member. Somali state media confirmed that emergency services swiftly contained the fire at the airport.
The crashed helicopter had returned from Balidogle airbase, located approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu. While the incident caused delays for a Turkish Airlines passenger flight, normal operations for domestic flights continued without major disruption.
Ugandan troops are part of an 11,000-strong African Union (AU) force that is aiding the Somali government in its fight against the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab group, which has been conducting a prolonged insurgency in Somalia for over two decades. Further details regarding the crash remain scarce as authorities work to determine the cause.
