Passengers on a flight from Somaliland’s western city of Burao to the capital, Hargeisa, faced a harrowing near miss on Friday, as heavy rains made it impossible for their aircraft to land safely at Egal International Airport.
Repeated attempts to land were thwarted by poor visibility as rain obscured the runway, forcing the plane into a series of abrupt ascents and tight circles.
“The flight path looks like a plate of spaghetti,” one passenger remarked, describing the plane’s repeated descents, only to be sharply pulled up again as visibility vanished.
With fuel levels reaching a critical low, the flight was ultimately redirected to Berbera International Airport, over 150 kilometres away.
Recently renovated with UAE funding, Berbera Airport is equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS), enabling safe landings in low visibility by providing pilots with vertical and lateral guidance. Egal International, however, lacks this crucial technology.
The recent incident exposed a serious shortfall in Hargeisa’s airport infrastructure. Without an ILS, pilots are forced to rely on clear weather conditions and good visibility, usually reliable in Somaliland’s climate but sorely lacking that day.
The near miss has intensified calls for ILS installation to ensure safe landings even in adverse weather.
“ILS systems are relatively affordable,” noted an international aviation expert.
Somaliland’s aviation authority, which receives over $40 million annually from airport revenues, could certainly cover the estimated couple of million dollars required. Maintenance costs would also be minimal.
Berbera International, built by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and boasting one of Africa’s longest runways at over four kilometres, recently underwent a multi-million-dollar upgrade.
Meanwhile, the outgoing flight from Hargeisa to Burao encountered its own challenges. With Burao’s deteriorating runway, the pilots had to circle while assessing a safe landing approach.
Among those onboard were Dahabshiil Group CEO Abdirashid Duale, two Latin American pilots, and a Ghanaian flight engineer.
Despite Kuwait-funded renovations a decade ago that saw Egal International Airport reopened in 2013 under former President Ahmed Silanyo, Friday’s incident underscores the need for further critical advancements.
“ILS systems save lives,” the expert added. “As this incident demonstrates, investing in this technology for Somaliland’s primary airport is essential.”
