A Ugandan military helicopter carrying eight individuals crashed at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, according to an aviation official speaking to the BBC.
The state-run news agency reported that a fire broke out following the crash, though airport emergency teams quickly managed to contain it. Video clips from the scene captured thick smoke rising above the airport.
“We heard an explosion and saw flames and smoke engulfing a helicopter,” said Farah Abdulle, an airport staff member, in a statement to Reuters. “The smoke completely covered the aircraft.”
Details regarding casualties and the cause of the incident remain unclear at this time.
Ahmed Maalim, head of Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the helicopter crashed in the military zone of the airport after flying from Balidogle airbase, which is located roughly 90 kilometers (56 miles) northwest of the capital.
An investigation has been launched to determine what led to the crash.
Ugandan forces are part of a broader African Union mission in Somalia, which consists of about 11,000 troops supporting the government’s efforts to combat al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group that has been engaged in a long-running insurgency.
The incident caused a delay to a Turkish Airlines flight, though domestic services continued as normal.
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