Mogadishu, Somalia – April 12, 2025 — In response to a series of alarming aviation incidents and growing safety concerns, Somalia’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has issued a sweeping directive mandating immediate safety inspections and re-certification of all aircraft operating within the country.
The emergency order was announced by Transport and Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nuuh during a high-level meeting with officials from the Civil Aviation Authority held at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu.
“Every aircraft flying to, from, or within Somalia must undergo thorough inspection and verification of maintenance records before operation,” said Minister Nuuh. “We are prioritizing the safety of our skies.”
The directive follows a fatal crash on March 22, involving a De Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo cargo aircraft owned by Trident Aviation, a Kenyan operator. The aircraft, returning from a humanitarian supply mission for AU forces in Dhobley, crashed near Ceel Xabaaloow, approximately 24km from Mogadishu, killing all five crew members on board.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, which raised serious questions about airworthiness and operational oversight in the country’s aviation sector.
Although no official deadline was set, aviation officials have confirmed that emergency safety audits and re-certification procedures will begin immediately. The mandate applies to all domestic and international carriers operating in Somali airspace.
Inspectors will assess each aircraft’s registration, maintenance history, safety compliance, and airworthiness before granting flight clearance.
“We cannot allow any aircraft to operate unless its safety is fully verified,” emphasized Nuuh. “The lives of passengers, crew, and the general public are non-negotiable.”
The new directive also coincides with renewed security threats, particularly the mortar attack on Aden Adde Airport on April 6, which the Somali government attributed to the extremist group Al-Shabaab.
That attack prompted Turkish Airlines and EgyptAir to temporarily suspend their flights to Somalia. Turkish Airlines resumed its service on April 9, but EgyptAir has yet to restore its weekly routes through Djibouti.
These incidents have heightened concern over the safety of civil aviation infrastructure in Mogadishu and the reliability of airport security measures.
Over recent years, Somalia’s aviation industry has shown signs of steady growth, buoyed by improved security and an increase in international carriers resuming service to Mogadishu. However, repeated air incidents threaten to undermine that progress.
- In January 2024, a Kenyan cargo plane delivering food aid on behalf of the World Food Programme (WFP) crashed during landing, killing two people.
- In July 2023, a passenger flight operated by Halla Airlines made an emergency landing in Mogadishu after experiencing high winds and a landing gear failure. All 34 passengers survived, although two were injured.
The Somali government’s order signals a zero-tolerance approach to aviation safety lapses and aims to restore public confidence in the country’s airspace. Authorities say any airline or operator that fails to comply with inspection standards will be barred from operating.
Experts say the implementation and transparency of the inspections will be critical in maintaining Somalia’s progress toward a fully functional and internationally compliant aviation sector.
