On 10 February 2026, a major plane accident almost occurred in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. A Fokker 50 aircraft of Starsky Aviation suffered a technical fault shortly after takeoff. The plane was heading to Galkayo from Mogadishu’s Aden Adhe International Airport, but during an emergency landing it skidded off the runway and fell on the seashore. It is a matter of relief that all 55 people on board are safe.
When and how did the accident happen?
The plane took off at around 1:17 pm local time. About 15 minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported a technical fault and asked for permission to return. When the plane was trying to land on Runway 23, the pilots could not control the plane. The aircraft overshot the paved surface of the runway and rolled down a wall or mound at the edge of the airport and came to rest in the shallow waters of Jazeera Beach. In the pictures, the right wing of the plane is seen broken and the front part is damaged.
Are all passengers safe?
The biggest news in this accident is that all 50 passengers and 5 crew members on board the plane are completely safe. No one has died and no one has been seriously injured. Immediately after the accident, Airport Fire Service, African Union Mission and United Nations soldiers reached the spot and evacuated people. Everyone has been taken to a nearby hospital for medical examination. Airline officials have praised the wisdom of the pilot, due to which everyone’s life was saved despite such a major accident.
What is the status of investigation and airport?
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. The investigating officers are busy searching the flight data recorder i.e. black box so that the exact cause of the technical fault can be found. After the accident, the airport was closed for some time to make way for the vehicles engaged in relief work, but now normal functioning has started there. The Transport Minister has also confirmed that the matter is being investigated in depth.
