In Somalia, they are rallying around the pilot of Starsky Aviation, who, showing incredible courage, managed to save the lives of 55 people by making an emergency landing of a malfunctioning plane on the shore near Mogadishu Airport, as reported by Kazinform, citing the BBC.
There were 50 passengers and 5 crew members on board — all survived.
Representatives of Starsky Aviation noted that it was the pilot's prompt and calm actions that helped avoid a tragedy.
According to the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, the crew of the Fokker 50 aircraft discovered a technical problem shortly after taking off from Mogadishu on Tuesday morning and requested an emergency return. The head of the agency, Ahmed Makalin Hasan, reported that during the landing, the plane was unable to stop within the runway limits and rolled off the edge, eventually coming to a stop on the shore of the Indian Ocean.
In a video posted on social media, passengers can be seen leaving the plane on their own and making their way to the shore through the water. Rescue operations involved medical services, UN units, and the African Union mission. Preliminary reports indicate that no one sustained serious injuries.
"We can confirm that all people on board are safe. An investigation is underway to determine the causes of the technical malfunction that led to the emergency landing," said airline representative Hasan Mohamed Aden.
