U.N. helicopter crew in Somalia waited in useless for rescue earlier than kidnapping | EUROtoday

All are lacking and one is presumed lifeless after the helicopter got here down in an space that may be a stronghold of the Islamist rebel group al-Shabab. The militant group is preventing the Somali authorities and its allies, together with an African Union peacekeeping pressure, to impose a strict model of Islamic legislation, with punishments resembling stonings, amputations and public lashings.

Somalia’s militant Shabab seize downed U.N. helicopter, not less than 1 lifeless

The survivors are believed to be within the custody of the militant group. Neither the United Nations nor the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, a peacekeeping pressure referred to as ATMIS, has launched particulars of the incident past confirming {that a} helicopter went down.

According to a timeline supplied by the 2 Mogadishu-based safety officers and messages shared with The Washington Post, about an hour elapsed earlier than the African Union peacekeeping pressure — which had one other helicopter close by — was notified that the U.N. helicopter went down. The purpose for the delay was not clear.

The timeline reconstructed by The Post confirmed that the helicopter was an hour into its flight after refueling when the crew seen uncommon vibrations. An inner U.N. message later mentioned one thing had hit a rotor; a message shared with The Post indicated that the tip of a blade had come off.

At round 1 p.m. native time, the crew determined to make an emergency touchdown, in accordance with a message shared with The Post. Three different officers confirmed the tough timeline. The pilot, one official mentioned, did a wonderful job of controlling the spin and stopping a lethal crash. All the officers spoke on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed the communicate to the media.

At 1:10 p.m., the crew reported the incident to Mogadishu.

By 1:20 p.m. messages have been flying forwards and backwards about the potential of a rescue flight bringing a brand new blade from the capital, Mogadishu. But even at high pace, it could have taken an Mi-8 helicopter 100 minutes to make the 250-mile journey, assuming there have been no refueling stops. That would permit the crippled helicopter to maneuver out of hostile territory, however the rescue helicopter wouldn’t have had sufficient gas to get again to Mogadishu. Even reaching the closest gas depot in Beletweyne might have pushed it to the sting of its vary.

The passengers made contact with Mogadishu once more at 2 p.m., and after that decision, the African Union peacekeeping pressure was knowledgeable of the incident and a request was made to choose up the crew, the 2 officers mentioned. There was an African Union helicopter about 80 miles or half-hour away within the city of Wisil with sufficient gas to achieve the crash web site. The plan was to fly with 20 Somali troopers who might stand guard whereas repairs have been made.

At 2:16 p.m., because the reduction flight was on the point of take off, one of many folks on the downed helicopter informed Mogadishu that 4 unidentified folks had approached the positioning however had retreated when the safety officer for the plane cocked his weapon.

In addition to the hazards within the lawless area from al-Shabab, clan militias and prison gangs additionally function there. They have beforehand kidnapped foreigners and offered them to the very best bidder.

One official expressed frustration that the A.U. flight had not left Wisil earlier, however one other official mentioned the flight had been readied as quickly as attainable and that the details about unknown folks across the downed helicopter additionally raised the chance of dropping a second helicopter.

At 2:34 p.m., somebody on the touchdown web site knowledgeable Mogadishu that armed males had captured 5 survivors from the touchdown web site and that one individual had been killed, in accordance with notes shared with The Post. The Ugandan safety officer and the Somali physician evaded seize.

At 2:36 p.m., nobody on the touchdown web site was answering their telephone anymore. By 3 p.m., the helicopter was burning, two of the officers mentioned.

Since then, there was no communication from the folks holding the survivors, mentioned one of many officers with information of the incident. Al-Shabab has additionally not claimed accountability for the assault.