A Somali pilot earned widespread praise after safely crash-landing a passenger plane suffering technical failure at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on February 10, 2026.
Capt. Ahmed Nur executed a controlled belly landing for Fly Jannah Airlines Flight JY-214, an Embraer 145 jet carrying 45 passengers and five crew—all survived with minor injuries like bruises, treated at local hospitals. The aircraft, en route from an undisclosed domestic flight, lost its undercarriage shortly before touchdown around 2 p.m. local time, prompting the dramatic skid along the runway amid sparks and smoke. Video footage showed the jet sliding before halting; airport emergency teams responded swiftly with foam to avert fire.
Somali Civil Aviation Authority and airline officials hailed Nur's "professionalism and quick thinking," crediting crew training for the flawless evacuation. No fatalities occurred, marking a rare positive outcome in a country plagued by aviation incidents tied to aging fleets and infrastructure woes. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud congratulated the pilot via social media, calling it a "miracle." An investigation into the fault is underway, with Mogadishu's sole international airport—a frequent conflict target—resuming operations post-incident.
