UN cargo aircraft rests on its nose after a landing gear failure at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on April 1, 2025. This image, almost like a slumbering giant reduced to humility, serves as a poignant reminder that mishaps, while unfortunate, demand proactive measures.
Mogadishu (AX) — In an earnest bid to address growing apprehensions surrounding air safety, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Somalia has mandated a comprehensive round of emergency safety inspections and certifications for all aircraft within its jurisdiction. This decision arises amidst a series of recent aviation incidents and a backdrop of escalating concerns regarding airspace security.
Announced by the Minister of Transport, Mohamed Farah Nuux, during a crucial assembly with aviation officials at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, this directive reflects an unwavering commitment to aviation safety. All aircraft entering, exiting, or traversing Somali skies are to undergo stringent safety evaluations. Interestingly, no specific deadline accompanies this announcement; however, authorities assure the immediacy of these inspections.
“We must ensure that every aircraft flying in and out of Somalia is properly inspected, registered, and maintained,” Nuux stated, echoing a sentiment that resonates with the fundamental principles of safety and diligence as reported by the Somali National News Agency (SONNA).
This initiative emerges in the shadow of a tragic event on March 22, wherein a Kenyan-registered De Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo, operated by Trident Aviation, met with disaster near Ceel Xabaaloow, roughly 24 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu. All five crew members aboard perished—an unfortunate testament to the unforgiving nature of aviation mishaps. The said plane had just completed a crucial supply mission to the African Union forces stationed at Dhobley. Somali aviation investigators swiftly initiated an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this catastrophe.
As we delve deeper into this saga, one cannot ignore the ramifications of an April 6 mortar attack targeting Mogadishu’s international airport, an act attributed to the militant group Al-Shabaab. The event’s reverberations were felt far and wide, temporarily halting flights from Turkish Airlines and EgyptAir. Though Turkish Airlines resumed its services by April 9, EgyptAir’s operations remain suspended for the time being, pending circumstances conducive to safe flight resumption. Such events raise a pertinent question: how do we balance progress with security, ensuring that neither is compromised?
The optimistic side of this narrative is Somalia’s civil aviation sector, which has witnessed encouraging growth as more international airlines recognize Mogadishu’s potential as a vital hub amidst improving security arrangements. Yet, the path remains riddled with challenges. Consider the incident in January 2024, when a Kenyan cargo plane, tasked with delivering crucial humanitarian aid for the World Food Programme, crashed tragically during landing, claiming two lives. Or the incident in July 2023, when a Halla Airlines flight, confronted by merciless wind shear, crash-landed at Mogadishu airport due to a collapsed landing gear. Fortuitously, all 34 passengers survived, though two endured injuries.
Anecdotal precedents, such as these, underline the unpredictability and challenges of aviation. Historical figures like Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a renowned aviator himself, once mused, “Perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove.” In aviation, indeed, the relentless pursuit of safety often demands meticulous oversight and a profound understanding that every checkbox translates to lives secured.
This narrative is more than just a recapitulation of events; it is an invitation to reflect on the intricate dance of safety, progress, and the human zeal to traverse beyond our terrestrial confines. With every decision, every safetycheck, we inch closer to a horizon of safer Somali skies.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international – Monitoring.
