Video: Plane Carrying 55 People Crashes Into Indian Ocean Moments after Take-Off
- A Starsky Aviation pilot safely crash-landed a faulty passenger aircraft on the shoreline near Mogadishu, with all 55 people on board surviving
- The aircraft overshot the runway after returning to Mogadishu shortly after take off due to a reported technical problem
- The airline praised the pilot’s calm decision-making as investigations began into the cause of the fault
A Somali domestic airline has praised the actions of one of its pilots after a passenger aircraft with a reported technical fault crash landed on the shoreline near Mogadishu’s international airport, with all 55 people on board surviving the incident.
The aircraft, a Fokker 50 operated by Starsky Aviation, was carrying 50 passengers and five crew members on a scheduled flight to Puntland when the crew detected a problem shortly after take off on the morning of Tuesday, February 10.
Source: Original
According to Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority, the pilot requested an immediate return to Mogadishu after the fault was identified, BBC reported.
Pilot praised for safe emergency landing
Civil Aviation Authority director Ahmed Macalin Hassan said the aircraft touched down safely but failed to stop on the runway.
The plane overshot the tarmac and came to rest in shallow water along the seashore close to the airport. The exact nature of the technical issue has not yet been confirmed by authorities.
Images and videos shared on social media showed the aircraft leaning to one side with visible damage to a wing.
Passengers were seen calmly exiting the plane and walking away across the shoreline. Officials said no serious injuries were recorded among those on board.
Source: Original
Rescue response and official reaction
The African Union mission in Somalia confirmed that United Nations and African Union troops were quickly deployed to assist with rescue operations. Somalia’s transport minister was also present at the scene as emergency teams secured the area.
Starsky Aviation said an investigation had begun to determine what caused the fault that led to the emergency landing. The airline credited the pilot’s handling of the situation for the positive outcome.
“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.
Plane carrying 260 develops fault mid-air
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Qatar Airways aircraft operating a scheduled international service was forced to return to Lagos on the night of Friday, January 16, after developing a technical problem shortly after departure.
The flight made an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport following coordination with aviation authorities.
Airport officials said the pilot detected a mechanical issue minutes after takeoff and immediately contacted Air Traffic Controllers to request an air return. Clearance was granted without delay, allowing the aircraft to land safely at the Lagos airport. There were 260 people on board, made up of 248 passengers and 12 crew members.
Source: Legit.ng
