The Manager of Somalia’s Civil Aviation authority (SCAA), on Tuesday revealed the plane accident which occurred at Adden Adde Int’l airport which led Mogadishu airport to be closed on a temporary basis after the pilot landed safely UN plane on its nose.
The manager, Ahmed Ma’alin Hassan, told the local media that 22 UN staff passengers were on board.
He said that the plane left Mogadishu and was destined for Baidoa when the front wheels failed to come out on landing and returned to Adden Adde Int’l airport in Mogadishu.
The Manager said that the airport authority put in place all measures which were aimed at reducing the damage it may cause due to the mechanical problem that it experienced.
He disclosed that even emergency teams managed to extinguish fire that erupted within the plane.
Planes that were about to depart were immediately informed to take off and other planes destined for Mogadishu, their destinations were diverted and were informed that a plane accident occurred in the airport.
He added that the airport was closed on temporary basis.
He stated that operations were underway to remove the plane from the runway so that planes could land and take off.
He said a notification was sent to 193 countries informing them that the airport was closed.
Finally, the Manager of Civil Aviation Authority announced that the airport was closed until 5 pm local time in Mogadishu.
All inbound and outbound flights were halted until the plane was removed from the runway.
