A Ugandan military helicopter operated by Ugandan peacekeepers under the African Union mission crashed on Wednesday at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, Somalia. Tragically, five of the eight soldiers on board died in the incident, and three others were left with serious injuries. The helicopter was a part of the AUSSOM (African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia) and had just taken off from the U.S.drone base in Baledogle, southwest of Mogadishu.
Helicopter Caught Fire While in the Air
Eyewitnesses claimed the military helicopter caught fire in mid-air and quickly lost control. Videos shared online appeared to show the helicopter in flames, thick black smoke could be seen rising from the airport runway, while those in the vicinity heard stages of explosions, presumably due to ammunition stored on board the helicopter. The crash not only impacted the buildings of the airport, but three civilians were also injured on the ground. The fire in Mogadishu was so intense that all airport operations came to a halt, with flights being diverted away from the airport. A plane from Turkish Airlines was diverted to Nairobi, Kenya.
A Ugandan military helicopter with eight people on board has crashed at the main international airport in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, an aviation official has told the BBC. The cause of the crash and casualty figures are unclear. https://t.co/OvGV643igZ pic.twitter.com/XRz0Ak9LXU
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) July 2, 2025
Survivors Under Treatment
The African Union mission confirmed the incident and said the three injured soldiers are being treated at a mission-run hospital in Mogadishu. Survivors include the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer, all of whom suffered serious burns and injuries.
The Helicopter Was on a Routine Mission
The chopper was a Mi-24 gunship, originally from the Ugandan Air Force, but had been operated under the African Union’s peacekeeping efforts. According to Uganda’s military, the chopper was on a regular combat escort mission.
Five killed after Kenyan cargo plane crashes in Mogadishu pic.twitter.com/P3nR0mDBSR
— African Hub (@AfricanHub_) March 24, 2025
Cause of Crash Still Unknown
“I saw the helicopter spinning and then it came down very quickly,” said Omar Farah, an aviation officer who was among the first responders. Another witness, Abdirahim Ali, said, “There was a big explosion and smoke everywhere.”Officials of Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, and the Airport is Back to Normal. The crash did cause delays at the airport flights have now returned to normal operations.
