Five Ugandan soldiers deployed under the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia lost their lives on Wednesday, July 2, when a Ugandan Air Force Mi-24 helicopter crashed upon arrival at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport.
The chopper, carrying eight personnel, was on a routine combat escort mission and had flown in from the Lower Shabelle region. Uganda’s military confirmed that the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived the crash but sustained severe burns and critical injuries.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene, with aviation officer Omar Farah recounting that the helicopter “was spinning” before it “fell very fast,” followed by a loud explosion and heavy smoke, as noted by local resident Abdirahim Ali. Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation into the incident. Although the crash briefly disrupted operations at the airport, normal flight schedules have since resumed.