Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), on Wednesday, May 31, announced an incident involving an overflying aircraft at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
In a statement, it was reported that rescue operations were underway at the airport, with the authorities yet to establish the cause of the incident.
“An aircraft overflying Nairobi encountered an incident at JKIA this morning. Immediate rescue operations are underway, led by our dedicated emergency response teams,” KAA played cagey in its statement.
“We are working closely with authorities as we prioritize the safety of all involved,” the statement added.
An insider at the airport also declined to offer more information, stating that KAA was compiling a comprehensive statement.
“We are looking to ascertain the incident – cannot confirm if it’s a crash yet. Wait for comprehensive information,” the source added.
Eyewitnesses claimed to have seen smoke engulfing the plane at JKIA.
KAA is yet to disclose whether the plane was landing or taking off and whether passengers or cargo was aboard.
No casualties have been reported.
The May 31 incident barely came two months after a cargo plane failed to take off leading to the temporary closure of the international airport.
According to KAA, the plane – which developed technical issues on April 17- had damaged tyres which needed to be replaced.
