Aircraft propeller kills Somali officer

A Somali police officer has been killed after a moving aircraft propeller struck his head shortly after he disembarked from a plane at Dhusamareb Airport in central Somalia.

The officer, identified as Mukhtar Qasim Samay, was a member of the security detail attached to Mogadishu Police Chief, Ma’alin Mahdi.

The incident occurred on Tuesday when Mahdi and members of his security team arrived at the airport ahead of the inauguration of Galmudug State’s incoming leader, Liban Ahmed Hassan.

According to Somali media reports, Samay was walking away from the aircraft when he was struck by its still-rotating propeller, killing him at the scene.

Dalsan TV reported that the officer sustained a fatal head injury from the propeller shortly after landing.

A video of the incident, sighted by PUNCH Online, showed a white twin-propeller aircraft bearing the inscription STAR AIRLINES parked on the airport tarmac at night, with its propellers still rotating.

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The footage, which lasted about 19 seconds, showed passengers and security personnel disembarking through a portable staircase attached to the aircraft.

Several men, including security operatives in military-style uniforms and others in formal and traditional clothing, were seen gathering around the plane.

Towards the end of the footage, there was sudden movement among the crowd, followed by camera movement and blurred images. However, the video did not clearly capture the fatal impact.

Samay was reportedly attached to the Haramacad unit of the Somali Police Force.

Following his death, Mahdi Omar Mumin expressed condolences to the deceased’s family, friends and colleagues in the police force in a Facebook post.

“Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajicuun. I send my deepest condolences to the family, relatives, friends and all the Somali Police Forces, the shocking death that happened to them,” he wrote.

He described Samay as one of the heroes of the Somali Police Force, particularly the Haramacad unit.

“May Allah have mercy on K/S Muqtar Qaasim Samay, who was one of the heroes of the Somali Police force, especially Haramacad,” he added.

Mahdi had travelled to Dhusamareb ahead of Thursday’s inauguration of Hassan, an event expected to attract political and security officials.

Dhusamareb is the administrative capital of Galmudug, one of Somalia’s federal member states.

Local media outlet Mustaqbal had earlier reported that security arrangements had been strengthened across the city ahead of the inauguration.