KAA Explains Aircraft Incident At Mombasa Airport

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) announced on Friday, October 6 that it carried out a successful comprehensive emergency drill at Moi International Airport in Mombasa County.

In a statement, KAA revealed that the exercise involved a simulated incident of an aircraft that caught fire due to engine failure as reported by the pilot and had a crash landing at the international airport.

The authority added that the emergency drill is an integral part of KAA's commitment to bolstering its airport emergency response capabilities and ensuring the highest level of preparedness for unforeseen events.

A plane arriving at Moi International Airport. /GO PLACES DIGITAL

"The primary objective of this drill was to test and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the airport's emergency response procedures, coordination among various agencies, and the overall readiness of the airport's personnel," stated KAA in part.

The authority however assured travellers that the incident was merely a drill and posed no risk to passengers nor did it affect normal airport operations.

"KAA would like to assure the general public that this incident was entirely simulated and did not pose any real danger to passengers, crew members, or airport operations. The safety and security of all individuals involved were strictly prioritized throughout the exercise," added the statement.

KAA acting managing director Henry Ogoye expressed his satisfaction with the successful completion of the emergency drill. He underscored that conducting regular emergency drills is vital to ensure the highest level of preparedness.

"I commend the efforts of all the personnel involved in this exercise for their professionalism and dedication," he added.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and recommended practices obligate Civil Aviation Airports to undertake such drills once every two years to assess their level of preparedness for emergencies.

This is however not the first time KAA conducted emergency drills across Kenya's airports.

On Wednesday, May 31, its announcement that an incident involving an aircraft at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) which was overflying Nairobi generated panic across the country before it announced that the incident was part of an emergency drill carried out then.

"Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) would like to announce the successful completion of a full-scale emergency drill conducted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) this morning.

"The exercise, which involved a simulated incident of an aircraft that crashed at the airport while overflying Nairobi, was organized by KAA as part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing airport emergency response capabilities and ensuring the highest level of preparedness in case of any unforeseen events," stated KAA in a comprehensive statement.