Written by Faith Mwende
A United Nations aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu on Tuesday afternoon due to a mechanical malfunction in its front landing gear, Fevori LLC, the Turkish company managing the airport, confirmed.
According to the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), the pilot executed a belly landing, causing the nose of the aircraft to make contact with the runway.
Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated, with no fatalities or serious injuries.
“Thankfully, there were no casualties. All individuals were safely evacuated and provided with medical checks and support on site,” Fevori LLC said in a statement.
The aircraft, a De Havilland Dash 8 (DH8D) operated by UNSOS, was en route from Mogadishu to Baidoa when the incident occurred.
Emergency teams responded within minutes, ensuring passenger safety.
SCAA confirmed the aircraft had experienced technical issues shortly after takeoff.
“The aircraft safely executed a belly landing at Aden Adde International Airport at 13:28 local time. There were no casualties, and damage to the aircraft was minimal,” the authority stated.
As a result, the taxiway was temporarily closed for emergency response and aircraft recovery but has since reopened.
A full investigation is now underway in coordination with aviation authorities and the UN.
