An airline in Somalia has praised its pilot for crash-landing his passenger plane, which had developed a technical malfunction, on the seashore near to the capital’s international airport, saving all 55 people on board.
Starsky Aviation stated that the pilot’s rapid thinking was critical in saving the 50 passengers and five crew.
According to Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the crew of the Fokker 50 reported a problem shortly after takeoff from Mogadishu on Tuesday morning and requested that the jet return.
It then touched down but failed to come to a stop on the runway, overshooting the tarmac and landing in shallow water, according to CAA director Ahmed Macalin Hassan.
It is not yet obvious what the problem was.
Footage released on X purported to show people fleeing the plane and walking away from the debris on the Indian Ocean’s shore.
No serious injuries were recorded after the pilot crash-landed the plane.
The African Union’s mission in Somalia stated that UN and AU troops were “swiftly deployed” to assist in rescue efforts. Somalia’s transport minister was also present, according to the post on X.
“We are relieved to confirm that all passengers and crew are safe. Investigations are under way to establish what caused the technical issue that led to the emergency landing,” Starsky spokesman Hassan Mohamed Aden said.
“The pilot’s swift and calm decision-making played a decisive role in ensuring the safety of everyone on board, and we commend him for how he handled the situation,” he added.
