ALBAWABA- A passenger aircraft operated by Somali carrier Starsky Airlines made an emergency landing on the Indian Ocean shoreline near Mogadishu on Tuesday after suffering a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff, with all passengers and crew escaping unharmed, authorities said.
The turboprop Fokker 50 had departed Aden Adde International Airport bound for Gaalkacyo in central Somalia when the flight crew detected a technical problem around 15 minutes into the journey.
The pilot requested an immediate return to Mogadishu, but during the emergency landing, the aircraft overshot the runway, veering off the tarmac and coming to rest in shallow coastal waters near Jasiira beach, just outside the airport perimeter.
Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that all those on board, estimated at around 50 passengers and five crew members, were safely evacuated, with no fatalities or serious injuries reported. Emergency response teams, including airport authorities and local rescuers, reached the site quickly and assisted passengers as they disembarked and moved away from the aircraft.
CAA Director Ahmed Moalim Hassan said preliminary information indicated the incident was caused by a technical fault, adding that the aircraft came to a stop in shallow water, limiting the impact of the crash-landing. Starsky Airlines commended the flight crew, particularly the pilot, for what it described as swift and decisive action that prevented loss of life.
Eyewitnesses described the plane flying at low altitude before skimming across the water and halting on the sandy shoreline. Video footage circulated on social media showed passengers calmly walking away from the aircraft, some carrying personal belongings, as rescue teams secured the area.
The aircraft sustained visible damage, with some reports suggesting structural components were compromised during the landing. The Civil Aviation Authority has opened a formal investigation to determine the precise cause of the malfunction and assess whether mechanical, maintenance, or operational factors were involved.
