“When we passed 10,000 feet (3 kilometres) in altitude, by procedure the fasten seatbelt sign for passengers switches off, so they can remove the belts, cabin crew then started serving passengers, a small check list had to be done, and when we climbed past 11,000 (feet, 3.4 kilometres) there was an explosion. At first, I though it was a window, however, we sensed some smell like an explosion since smoke came rushing into the cockpit, dirt and dust because of an explosion.” Said Somalia’s plane pilot Vlatko Vodopivec
Vlatko says everyone remained calm even after the explosion. He immediately demanded an emergency return to Mogadishu airport, fortunately the plane was still operational.
“If we were higher, the explosion would have been larger, and probably the damage as well.”Said Vlatko Vodopivec
Vlatko was certain the explosion was caused by a bomb….However initially the Somali government denied the claim
“They (Somali authorities) even tried to convince me there (that it was not a bomb), however, I said it could only be a bomb and there was nothing else that I could sign.” explained the pilot
When the Somali authorities finally admitted that the explosion was caused by a bomb on board….The country’s intelligence released footage of two men handing over a laptop believed to have been loaded with explosives. The device was handed over to a third man, said to be Abdulahi Abdisalam, who was killed during the explosion. How this happened with out anyone noticing is no surprise to Vlatko.
“The security in Mogadishu is zero. When we park (planes) there, some 20 to 30 people come to the tarmac, no one has a badge or those yellow vests or nothing. It’s the airport’s fault and there is no doubt about it. Now, that is a big price for them, first numerous flights have been cancelled, whoever tries to open a new line for Mogadishu, they will demand some special conditions. That is a big problem for them, that’s why they tried to shift the blame on to someone else in the beginning.” concludes the pilot
Somali security forces say several arrests have been made in connection to the incident. The blast punched a one-metre hole in the side of the Airbus A321 about 15 minutes after it had taken off from Mogadishu heading for Djibouti.
