Mogadishu, Somalia — An African Union military helicopter crashed Wednesday morning near the eastern side of Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, according to the Somali Civil Aviation Authority.
The helicopter, carrying at least eight people, had departed from the U.S. military base in Baledogle and was attempting to land at the Mogadishu airport when it went down. A large fire broke out following the crash, briefly disrupting domestic and international flights, which were diverted.
It remains unclear whether any of the eight people on board -- believed to be a mix of crew and military personnel -- survived.
The aircraft was reportedly en route to Baledogle Airfield, a facility in southern Somalia jointly operated by U.S. forces and the African Union's peacekeeping mission, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), now operating under the restructured African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The crash occurred inside Halane Base Camp, a heavily fortified compound that hosts diplomats, international staff, and military personnel from several countries, including the United States.
In a preliminary statement, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter was being operated by peacekeepers under AUSSOM. The specific military affiliation of the aircraft has not yet been confirmed, nor has the presence of any U.S. personnel among the casualties.
An investigation is reportedly underway.
