It’s published •update
At least three people were killed when a military helicopter serving Somalia’s African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission crashed at an airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday, authorities said.
The helicopter arrived from Beredgur Airfield in the Shovel area below, with eight people on board, and three people were killed, said Altan Mohamed, who heads the immigration department at Aden Abdul Airport.
Helicopters were originally part of the Ugandan Air Force, but were run by an AU mission, he said.
Ahmed Moalim Hassan, director of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, told national media that an investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the casualties and damages.
“We’ll know more when the situation is controlled and the fire goes out by firefighters,” he said.
“The fire team is still working to contain the fire. Most of it has been released, but there is still smoke and we hope it clears up soon.”
Aviation officer Omar Farrah, who first reached the wreckage, told the Associated Press, “I saw the helicopter spinning and it fell very quickly.”
“There were big explosions and smoke everywhere,” said Abdirahim Ali, a nearby resident, who witnessed the crash.
The airport reported mild delays, but flights and other operations have since resumed.
The African Union Peacekeeping Mission, known as Oisom, helps Somali authorities fight al-Shabaab militant rebels oppose the existence of foreign troops on the Horn of Africa.
The mission includes troops from countries such as Uganda and Kenya.
