By Obinna Uballa
A passenger plane in Somalia crash-landed into shallow sea water near Mogadishu International Airport on Tuesday, but all 55 people on board survived, airline officials said.
Starsky Aviation praised the pilot for his quick thinking, which was credited with saving the lives of 50 passengers and five crew members after the aircraft, a Fokker 50, experienced a technical fault shortly after takeoff.
According to Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the crew reported the issue and requested to return to the airport. The plane touched down but failed to stop on the runway, overshooting the tarmac before coming to rest in shallow water, CAA Director Ahmed Macalin Hassan said.
Footage shared on X showed passengers disembarking from the aircraft and walking safely along the shoreline of the Indian Ocean. No serious injuries have been reported.
The African Union mission in Somalia confirmed that UN and AU troops were “swiftly deployed” to assist with rescue operations. Somalia’s Transport Minister was also present at the scene.
Starsky Aviation spokesperson Hassan Mohamed Aden said investigations are underway to determine the cause of the technical fault.
“We are relieved to confirm that all passengers and crew are safe. 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.
