UPDF Confirms Five Soldiers Dead in Mogadishu Chopper Crash

The UPDF has confirmed that five of its soldiers under theAfrican Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia died after the helicopter they were travelling in crashed.

The incident that happened near Mogadishu International Airport early Tuesday morning saw a UPDF Mi-24 combat helicopter crash during a routine mission.

The helicopter, bearing tail number AUO-015, went down at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, just 200 metres east of the North Ramp at the airport.

It was reportedly on a routine combat escort mission when the crash occurred.

According to the UPDF’s Director of Defence Public Information, Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, the aircraft was carrying eight personnel six crew members and two additional UPDF operatives.

“Unfortunately, five of our comrades on board perished in the crash,” Maj Gen Kulayigye said.

“The pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived but sustained serious injuries, including severe burns,” he noted.

The crash impact caused a detonation of the onboard munitions, resulting in significant structural damage nearby and injuring three civilians in the vicinity.

According to Maj Gen Kulayigye, the injured both UPDF and civilian were swiftly evacuated to the AUSSOM Sector 1 Level II Hospital for urgent medical treatment.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Kulaigye.

“We are committed to uncovering the cause of this tragic incident through a thorough and professional investigation.”

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin as investigations into the crash continue.

Uganda is one of the leading troop-contributing countries to the Somali peacekeeping mission, and its air assets have played a crucial role in logistics, reconnaissance, and combat operations.

The chopper crash is a big blow to the peacekeeping mission that troop contributing countries have in the past said is currently underfunded.

“We need to assist Somalia to get out of these problems. As you have heard, more money is needed to sustain the stabilization mission,” President Museveni said in April in Kampala