A Ugandan military helicopter crashed Wednesday morning near Mogadishu’s international airport, killing five soldiers and injuring three others, including civilians, according to officials.
The Mi-24 attack helicopter, operated by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), went down around 7:30 a.m. local time while on a routine combat escort mission. The aircraft, tail number AUO-015, was approaching Aden Abdulle International Airport from the Baledogle military airbase when it suddenly crashed roughly 200 meters east of the airport’s North Ramp.
Maj. Gen. Felix Kulayigye, spokesperson for the UPDF, confirmed the incident in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
“This morning at approximately 0730 hours, a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Mi-24 helicopter, aircraft tail number AUO-015, crashed approximately 200 metres East of the North Ramp at Mogadishu International Airport,” the statement read in part.
The crash triggered a violent explosion due to onboard munitions. The force of the blast damaged nearby structures and left three civilians injured, according to officials.
The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which oversees the Ugandan military’s operations in the country, confirmed the helicopter was carrying eight people.
“On Wednesday at around 7.30 a.m., an African Union helicopter operated by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) contingent crash-landed just before touching down at the Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, while enroute from the Baledogle military airbase,” AUSSOM said in a statement.
“Three of the eight passengers on board were immediately rescued and rushed to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Level II hospital in Mogadishu for medical attention. Search and rescue operations are currently underway to retrieve the remaining crew and passengers,” the statement continued.
UPDF officials later confirmed that five personnel had died on impact. The pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived but suffered severe burns and critical injuries. All three were evacuated to the AUSSOM Level II hospital in Sector 1 for emergency treatment.
The explosion injured three civilians who were also taken to the same facility.
A joint emergency team, including firefighters from the airport and the United Nations, as well as African Union explosive ordnance specialists, responded to the scene. Efforts to secure the area and conduct rescue operations continued throughout the day.
The names of the deceased have not been released, pending notification of their families.
Maj. Gen. Kulayigye expressed condolences on behalf of the Ugandan military. “Quick recovery to the injured and may the souls of the deceased comrades rest in peace,” he wrote.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. A formal investigation is underway.
Uganda is one of the largest troop contributors to the African Union force in Somalia, which includes more than 11,000 personnel supporting Somali forces in the fight against al-Shabaab.
The al-Qaeda-linked group, which emerged in 2006, has waged a prolonged insurgency aimed at toppling Somalia’s government and imposing a strict form of Islamic law. It remains active in many parts of the country and continues to pose a threat to regional stability.
