A Ugandan military helicopter deployed with the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia has crashed at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, a Ugandan military spokesperson confirmed to Reuters.
Out of the helicopter’s eight occupants, three survived the incident, according to spokesperson Felix Kulayigye, who did not provide further details on the fate of the remaining five individuals. A fire broke out at the crash site, with emergency responders working to extinguish the flames.
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) stated that “search and rescue operations are currently underway to retrieve the remaining crew and passengers.”
Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke and flames engulfing the helicopter after the crash. “We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter,” said Farah Abdulle, an airport worker. “The smoke entirely covered the helicopter.”
The helicopter reportedly crash-landed just before touching down at the airport, according to AUSSOM. Somalia’s state-run SONNA news outlet reported that the helicopter was completely engulfed in flames following the incident.
AUSSOM currently has over 11,000 personnel in Somalia, supporting the country’s military in its fight against the Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group Al-Shabab. The extremist group has waged an insurgency for nearly two decades, aiming to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognized government and impose a strict interpretation of Sharia law.