A routine domestic flight turned into an extraordinary shoreline arrival on Tuesday afternoon after a turboprop aircraft operated by Starsky Aviation made an emergency landing moments after taking off from Aden Adde International Airport, Mogadishu.
Performance issues after takeoff
According to airport authorities and media reports, including the BBC, the aircraft — a Fokker 50 — experienced performance issues shortly after departure and was unable to continue the flight safely. As the crew managed the unfolding emergency, the aircraft veered off the runway area and came to rest on the sandy coastline adjacent to the airport, just metres from the Indian Ocean.
All 55 safely evacuated
Despite the dramatic landing, all 55 passengers and crew onboard evacuated the aircraft safely. Videos circulating on social media show passengers calmly walking away from the plane, with no signs of panic. No fatalities were reported, and authorities confirmed that there were no serious injuries.
Emergency response teams were deployed immediately, securing the aircraft and assisting passengers away from the site. One passenger, overheard in a widely shared clip, joked about the unusual arrival, reflecting the mix of shock and relief after the incident.
Investigation underway
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident, with initial focus on a possible technical or mechanical malfunction during take-off. As a precaution, operations at Aden Adde International Airport were briefly disrupted but later resumed.
Starsky Aviation, a Somali-owned carrier operating charter, passenger and cargo services across East Africa, has not yet issued a detailed technical statement, pending the outcome of the investigation.
