The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has announced a full-scale emergency simulation exercise at Entebbe International Airport, scheduled for Friday, May 23, 2025.
The drill will be conducted in collaboration with key aviation and emergency response stakeholders. According to UCAA, the objective is to evaluate the readiness and coordination capabilities of Entebbe International Airport and its partners in responding to emergency situations, in line with international best practices and regulatory requirements.
The exercise will include simulated smoke and fire, as well as the presence of ambulances and other emergency vehicles with active sirens around the airport environment.
UCAA clarified that such simulations are routine and required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)—a United Nations specialized agency responsible for managing global civil aviation standards.
This is not the first such drill at the airport. A partial simulation was last conducted in June 2024, which involved a mock scenario where an aircraft lost power shortly after takeoff and crash-landed near the runway. The simulation assumed multiple casualties and severe injuries, triggering emergency response procedures involving firefighters, rescue teams, and medical personnel. Hospitals were notified and promptly dispatched ambulances and staff to the scene.
The upcoming exercise aims to test similar multi-agency coordination.
UCAA has urged passengers, residents of Entebbe, Kampala, and nearby areas not to be alarmed by the visible emergency activity, stressing that it is part of a planned and controlled simulation.
