A Somali police officer has died after being struck by the rotating propeller of an aircraft he had just exited at an airport in central Somalia, in an incident that has drawn attention to ground safety procedures at regional airfields.
The officer was identified as Mukhtar Qasim Samay, a member of the Somali Police Force who was assigned to the security detail of Mogadishu Police Chief Ma’alin Mahdi. He was killed at the scene after the propeller struck his head.
The incident at Dhusamareb Airport
The accident occurred on Tuesday at Dhusamareb Airport, where Mahdi and members of his security team had arrived 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 its still-rotating propeller struck him.
Video footage of the scene showed the aircraft parked on the airport tarmac at night, with its propellers still turning as passengers and security personnel disembarked. The roughly 19-second clip showed a white twin-propeller aircraft bearing the inscription “STAR AIRLINES,” with a portable staircase attached to its open door.
A crowd of men, including security personnel in military-style uniforms and others in formal and traditional clothing, gathered around the aircraft as people descended the stairs. The footage, which was shaky and grainy, captured people moving around the aircraft while the propellers remained in motion. Toward the end of the video, there was a sudden movement among the crowd, followed by significant camera movement and blurred images. The footage captured the chaotic moments surrounding the disembarkation but did not clearly show the fatal impact.
Dalsan TV had earlier reported that Samay was struck on the head by the rotating propeller as he walked away from the aircraft after landing. The deceased was a member of the Somali Police Force and reportedly served in the Haramacad unit.
Condolences from police leadership
Following his death, Mahdi Omar Mumin expressed condolences to Samay’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,” Mumin wrote.
He described the deceased 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.
Security ahead of the inauguration
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 in the city ahead of the inauguration.
The death has highlighted the risks posed by active propellers on airport aprons, particularly where passengers and security teams disembark in close proximity to aircraft that have not yet shut down their engines.
