Mogadishu, Somalia — A Ugandan military helicopter crashed and burst into flames at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Thursday, killing five personnel on board, Ugandan military spokesman Maj. Gen. Felix Kulaigye has confirmed.
The helicopter, which was on a routine combat escort mission, went down shortly after takeoff and ignited upon impact. Authorities said the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived the crash but sustained serious injuries and severe burns. They were evacuated to a military medical facility for emergency treatment.
Maj. Gen. Kulaigye expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and praised the bravery of all the crew members involved.
“This tragic accident is a heavy loss for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and for our peacekeeping mission under AUSSOM,” he said.
Ugandan troops are a major component of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which supports Somali forces in their ongoing efforts to stabilize the country and combat the Al-Shabaab insurgency.
While the exact cause of the crash remains unknown, military authorities have launched a formal investigation. Preliminary assessments point to possible mechanical failure, but officials are not ruling out other factors, including weather or operational stress.
The incident briefly disrupted operations at the airport, causing delays to some international flights. A Turkish Airlines flight was temporarily grounded, though domestic flights resumed with minimal interruption, airport authorities confirmed.
This is the latest in a series of aviation incidents involving military aircraft in Somalia’s high-risk operational environment, where AUSSOM forces frequently conduct air and ground patrols in support of counterterrorism missions.
Ugandan and Somali officials say further updates will be provided following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.