Emergency Crash Landing in Somalia Draws Questions

A small passenger plane veered off the runway on arrival Tuesday at the international airport in Mogadishu, according to state media.

Nightmare Landing Will Give You Chills

The Halla Airlines aircraft “crash-landed” at the Aden Abdulle International Airport at 12:23 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to a Somali Civil Aviation Authority statement posted by Somali National Television.

Of the 34 people on board, including the crew, only two sustained minor injuries, while others were safely rescued.

Here’s What Happened

Witnesses say an explosion and fire blew a gaping hole in the plane, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Mogadishu’s international airport.

The pilot said he thought it was a bomb.

An aviation expert who looked at photographs of the hole in the fuselage said the damage was consistent with an explosive device.

After the explosive went off, the plane landed in Somalia, drove off the runway upon arrival, and crashed into a fence, shattering into pieces upon impact.

“There was no fatality from the accident except minor injuries,” the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said.

“The SCAA would like to reaffirm that the preliminary report will be released once the current investigation concludes.”

Watch: Plane Landing

Images and videos shared on social media show the Halla Airlines plane skidding on the runway before hitting a fenced concrete wall, detaching the cockpit, and sending debris flying.

A wheel could even be seen coming away from the aircraft.

The civil aviation authority did not state what caused the accident. However, it said an investigation is ongoing. The Associated Press reported that the weather at the seaside airport was partly cloudy.

Major international carriers that fly to and from the Mogadishu airport include Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airlines.

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