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Five crew members of a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Mi-24 helicopter have died following a crash this morning at Mogadishu International Airport.
The crash also left the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer seriously injured.
Major General Felix Kulayigye, Director of Defence Public Information, confirmed that the incident occurred around 200 metres east of the North Ramp while the helicopter was on a routine combat escort mission.
The crash triggered an explosion of onboard munitions, which caused significant damage to nearby structures and injured three civilians.
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"The pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived but were badly burned and sustained serious injuries. They, along with the three injured civilians, were evacuated to the AUSSOM Sector 1 Level II Hospital for treatment," the statement from General Kulayigye noted. "The five crew members on board died in the crash."
A joint emergency response team, made up of firefighters from Mogadishu International Airport and the United Nations, along with AUSSOM Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel, is managing the site and assisting with rescue operations.
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the crash.