Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has reported an incidence where an air force helicopter crashed in Nyamisingiri village, Kicwamba sub-country, near Karugutu-Ntoroko district on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

Maj Naboth Mugisha, the Public Information Officer for the UPDF Air Force, has confirmed the incident, saying that they regret it and adding that it was clearly accidental.

Mugisha also said that the details of the crash are yet to be revealed.

According to eyewitnesses, the Air Force helicopter was headed to the Democratic Republic of Congo after taking off from Saka Airfield in Kichwamba sub-county in Western Uganda.

An eyewitness who revealed on condition of anonymity said that, the helicopter first hit a rooftop of a house before being set ablaze, adding that three people have so far died, one being the owner of the house while two were UPDF soldiers who were aboard the helicopter, while a baby who was also in the affected house has not yet been recovered, and another person has been injured.

“The helicopter first hit the house rooftop before crashing. However, three people have died including two soldiers and the owner of the house who died on spot. The house had five occupants, but among those, the baby’s whereabouts are still unknown. the helicopter also had armnisions because there were some blasts and fire in the house after the crash,” he said.

Last year, on July 29, 2023, a UPDF Helicopter MI 24 registration number AF 82 crashed while on routine operations in the Karamoja subregion. There were no fatalities reported in the incident.