At least three killed after AU military helicopter crashes in Somalia’s Mogadishu airport

A military helicopter operated by the African Union crashed and caught fire Wednesday on the airport in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, killing at least three folk, according to Somali authorities.

The helicopter became as soon as arriving from Baledogle Airfield in the Decrease Shabelle blueprint in southern Somalia with eight folk on board.

The helicopter originally belonged to the Ugandan Air Power nonetheless became as soon as being operated by the African Union peacekeeping mission, acknowledged Artan Mohamed, who heads the immigration set up of job at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle airport.

The smash came about at around 7:30 am. The loyal number of casualties remains unclear. At least three folk were confirmed expressionless, according to Mohamed.

A Ugandan navy spokesperson, Felix Kulaigye, acknowledged three folk had escaped the helicopter with burns and that the remaining 5 passengers had been “yet to be accounted for.”

The three survivors had been taken to sanatorium for therapy whereas “search and rescue operations are currently underway to retrieve the remaining crew and passengers”, the AU peacekeeping mission acknowledged in a commentary.

The impact of the smash also precipitated munitions onboard the helicopter to detonate, injuring three civilians, Kulaigye reported.

Aviation officer Omar Farah, who became as soon as amongst the main to reach the wreckage, told The Related Press that he “saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very quick.”

There became as soon as “a mountainous explosion and smoke at some stage in the set up”, acknowledged Abdirahim Ali, a nearby resident who also witnessed the smash.

Minor delays had been reported on the airport, nonetheless flights and other operations gain since resumed.

The African Union Reinforce and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), is made up of more than 11,000 troops from nations including Uganda and Kenya. 

The mission helps Somali authorities struggle the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab neighborhood.  Al-Shabab has been waging a violent insurgency in Somalia since the mid-2000s. 

Extra sources • Reuters, BBC