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Pilot praised for emergency landing in Mogadishu
A Starsky Aviation pilot has been commended after safely crash-landing a passenger plane on the shoreline near Mogadishu International Airport, ensuring all 55 people on board survived. The incident occurred Tuesday morning following a technical fault shortly after takeoff.
Sequence of events
The Fokker 50 aircraft crew reported a problem and requested an immediate return to the airport, according to Somalia's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The plane touched down but failed to stop on the runway, overshooting the tarmac before coming to rest in shallow water near the Indian Ocean.
(CAA Director Ahmed Macalin Hassan confirmed the aircraft did not sustain major structural damage during the landing, though the exact cause of the fault remains under investigation.)
Passengers and rescue response
Footage shared on social media platform X showed passengers disembarking the aircraft and walking away from the wreckage along the shoreline. No serious injuries have been reported.
The African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) stated that UN and AU troops were quickly deployed to assist with rescue operations. Somalia's Transport Minister was also present at the scene, as noted in an ATMIS post on X.
Airlines lauds pilot's actions
Starsky Aviation spokesperson Hassan Mohamed Aden expressed relief that all passengers and crew survived. He credited the pilot's "swift and calm decision-making" for preventing casualties.
"The pilot's quick thinking played a decisive role in ensuring the safety of everyone on board, and we commend him for how he handled the situation."
Hassan Mohamed Aden, Starsky Aviation
Investigation underway
Authorities have launched an inquiry to determine the root cause of the technical failure that prompted the emergency landing. Findings are expected in the coming days.
