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A Ugandan military helicopter operating under the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu’s airport on Wednesday, resulting in five fatalities, according to a Ugandan military spokesperson.
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Three of the eight individuals on board survived but sustained serious injuries and burns, spokesperson Felix Kulayigye confirmed.
The crash triggered explosions from munitions aboard the aircraft, damaging nearby structures and leaving three civilians injured, he added.
In an earlier statement, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) said search and rescue efforts were underway to locate the remaining crew members and passengers.
According to AUSSOM, the helicopter went down just before landing at Mogadishu’s international airport.
Somalia’s state-run news agency SONNA reported that the helicopter burst into flames after the crash.
“We heard a loud explosion and saw smoke and flames coming from the helicopter,” said Farah Abdulle, an airport worker, speaking to Reuters. “The smoke completely engulfed the helicopter.”
AUSSOM has deployed over 11,000 personnel in Somalia to assist the national military in combating al Shabaab militants.
The al Qaeda-linked group has been waging an insurgency for nearly 20 years, aiming to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognized government and impose strict Sharia law.
