A Ugandan military helicopter carrying eight soldiers crashed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday morning.
Three of those who were onboard the ill-fated aircraft have been rescued but the other five personnel are still unaccounted for, according to military and aviation sources.
The aircraft, identified as a Mi-24 attack helicopter, had just completed a logistical support mission in Balidogle, a key forward operating base in southern Somalia, when it went down near the runway.
A Somali news agency reported that the crash triggered a fire at the airport, but it was swiftly contained by emergency response teams.
"We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter. The smoke entirely covered the helicopter," said an airport staff who witnessed the incident.
The Mi-24 is primarily a gunship with limited troop transport capability.
Emergency response teams quickly moved in to contain the fire, and the Somali Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that normal airport operations have since resumed.
UPDF spokesperson Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye confirmed the crash and ongoing search efforts.
“Yes, it is true that a UPDF helicopter crashed. So far, three people have been rescued with injuries, and five others are still missing,” he said.
Kulayigye did not release the identities of the rescued or the missing personnel but noted that investigations into the cause of the crash are underway.
Uganda is one of the leading troop-contributing countries to the Somali peacekeeping mission, and its air assets have played a crucial role in logistics, reconnaissance, and combat operations.
Further updates are expected as search and recovery operations continue.
