The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has confirmed that Entebbe International Airport stands ready to manage emergencies efficiently. On Friday, UCAA conducted a full-scale emergency drill to evaluate the airport’s response capacity in the event of a disaster.

The exercise simulated a crash involving an Embraer aircraft carrying 95 passengers and five crew members. In the scenario, the plane crashed near the runway and burst into flames. Emergency teams responded swiftly, rescuing 41 survivors and transporting them to hospitals in Entebbe and Kampala. The drill also simulated 26 fatalities and 33 injuries.

After the operation, UCAA Director General Fred Bamwesigye addressed the media and praised the execution. He emphasized that the simulation tested critical systems such as emergency procedures, communication frameworks, response timelines, and coordination among stakeholders.

“These situations happen worldwide. We’re not trying to invent something new,” Bamwesigye said. “We don’t want to face a real emergency and panic. We want to be sure we can respond quickly and effectively.”

He added that stakeholders will now convene for a debrief to review the operation thoroughly. They plan to highlight strengths, pinpoint weaknesses, and chart a path for improvement based on different assessments.

“Feedback from the debrief will help us identify blind spots. It’s better to fix our shortcomings now than wait for a real incident,” he said.

The drill involved over 600 participants from 60 organizations. According to UCAA, this was the largest simulation since 2023. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommends such full-scale drills at least every two years.

Eng. Ayub Sooma, UCAA’s Director of Airports and Aviation Security, mentioned that observers from neighboring countries and regional airports watched the drill. These observers will submit independent reports with critiques and suggestions to help improve future emergency preparedness.