Entebbe International Airport successfully conducted a full-scale emergency exercise on Friday, May 23, 2025, aimed at testing the airport’s and stakeholders’ capacity to effectively respond to an aviation disaster.
The simulation, activated at 13:09 hours, involved a presumed crash of an East Sky Airlines Embraer 190 aircraft near runway 12/30. The mock flight carried 95 passengers and 5 crew members. According to the scenario, the aircraft crashed adjacent to the airport’s perimeter fence and caught fire, triggering a coordinated emergency response.
In the scenario, 25 people were presumed dead, 13 injured, and 62 rescued without injuries. Victims were transported to hospitals in Entebbe and Kampala, while the uninjured were reunited with families.
Over 600 participants from 50 organizations, including airport staff, emergency medical teams, security forces, firefighting units, and both public and private rescue agencies, took part. The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority’s Director General, Mr. Fred K. Bamwesigye, commended all participants for their professionalism and collaboration.
“This exercise, held once every two years as mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), tests inter-agency coordination, incident command, and emergency medical response under high-stress conditions,” Mr. Bamwesigye said.
Pictorial Highlights
1. Firefighting Efforts
Firefighters responded swiftly to extinguish flames from the mock crash site, working in unison to suppress the blaze and rescue trapped passengers.
2. Medical Evacuation
Emergency responders evacuate a ‘survivor’ using a stretcher to simulate real-time emergency care and transport.
3. Rescue Operations
Rescue teams extracted ‘casualties’ from the aircraft and performed emergency triage and transport.
The exercise reinforces Uganda’s commitment to aviation safety and preparedness.
