MOGADISHU .
A military helicopter from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported.
The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. Five of the occupants are feared dead .
“We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter,” Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. “The smoke entirely covered the helicopter.”
A statement issued moments after the tragedy by AUSOOM ,indicated that the incident happened at around 7:30am .The helicopter was enroute from Balegole military airbase.
“ Three of the eight passengers on board were immediately rescued and rushed to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somali (AUSSOM ) Level II hospital in Mogadishu for medical attention ,” the statement reads in part
“Search and rescue operations are currently underway to retrieve the remaining crew and passengers .Meanwhile, aviation authorities have commenced invesigations to establish the cause of the accident .” it adds
AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country’s military counter Islamist group al Shabaab.
The al Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia’s internationally-recognised government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.