The accident occurred at around 12.30 pm on Monday, September 16, with the plane, a Cessna Caravan registered as number 5Y-ZBW and owned by Z.Boskovic Air Charters spotted with its nose pointing downwards
10 passengers have narrowly escaped death after a plane they were travelling on veered off a runway at the Lichota Airstrip in Migori while taking off.
The accident occurred at around 12.30 pm on Monday, September 16, with the plane, a Cessna Caravan registered as number 5Y-ZBW and owned by Z.Boskovic Air Charters spotted with its nose pointing downwards, according to a photo seen by Viral Tea.
A video seen by Viral Tea showed a fire engine and an ambulance from the Migori County Government parked a few metres from the crash site as rescuers attended to the passengers and one crew member.
Witnesses recounted that the plane was nearing the end of the runway when it veered off and a cloud of billowing smoke ensued.
A Cessna Caravan plane veers off the runway at Lochita Airstrip in Migori County. /KENYAN AVIATOR.X
“I was in my compound next to the airstrip when I saw the plane trying to take off from the runway. It lost control and stalled at the end of the runway,” one of the witnesses, Moses Ywera, stated.
Witnesses also revealed that their efforts to immediately intervene and rescue the passengers were thwarted by the airstrip officials who rushed the scene.
The charter company confirmed the incident, stating “The aircraft was carrying 10 passengers and one crew member at the time of the incident.”
“We are relieved to confirm that there were no fatalities or injuries reported. We have engaged the relevant authorities to support the investigation of the incident and are closely monitoring the incident.
“Further updates will be provided if more information becomes available,” the statement read in part.
The cause of the incident was not made public at the time of publishing. This is deemed as part of a runway excursion, which can occur on takeoff or on landing as well as during taxi.
They consist of two types of events, a veer-off, which is an excursion in which an aircraft departs the physical edges of a runway/taxiway and an overrun, referring to an excursion in which an aircraft departs the end of a runway
- Overrun on Take Off: A departing aircraft fails to become airborne or successfully rejects the take-off before reaching the end of the runway.
- Overrun on Landing: A landing aircraft is unable to stop before the end of the runway is reached.
- Veer Off: An aircraft departs the side of the runway after touchdown on landing or departs the side of the runway during line-up or the take-off run.
On June 8, 2023, a light aircraft crash-landed at Kisumu International Airport, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) reported that the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing after its landing gear failed.
The aircraft in addition had two occupants, reportedly a trainee pilot and his instructor, who survived but were rushed to hospital for precautionary medical attention.
Scene after a light aircraft made an emergency landing at Kisumu International Airport on June 8, 2023. /FILE