MOGADISHU (SONNA) — The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has confirmed that a passenger aircraft was involved in a serious runway excursion incident at Aden Adde International Airport on Tuesday. Director General Ahmed Moalim Hassan verified to the National Media that the incident occurred shortly after the aircraft had taken off and was forced to execute an emergency return due to technical difficulties.
The aircraft, identified by its livery as belonging to Starsky Aviation, was en route to the city of Galkayo when the flight crew reported a malfunction. According to Director Moalim, the pilot made the decision to return to Mogadishu immediately. Upon attempting to land from the city-side approach, the pilot was unable to bring the aircraft to a halt within the confines of the runway. The plane subsequently overshot the tarmac, crashing through the perimeter barriers and coming to rest in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean adjacent to the airport.
Despite the dramatic nature of the crash, the Civil Aviation Authority has issued a reassuring statement confirming that there were no fatalities. Emergency rescue teams responded instantly to the scene, and all passengers and crew members were successfully evacuated from the fuselage. “The pilot managed to land the plane, but upon touching down, he lost control, and the aircraft ran off the runway into the sea. Fortunately, there are no casualties,” Director Ahmed Moalim stated.
