The runway at Kenya’s main airport has been temporarily closed following an aborted takeoff by a Singapore Airlines Cargo (SQ7343), which suffered a bird strike this morning.
The Boeing 747F was scheduled to depart from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) at 01:30 UTC and arrive at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) at 09:40 UTC. Flights scheduled to depart from NBO have been suspended, while inbound flights have been diverted to other airports.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has announced the closure of the single NBO runway moments after the incident occurred. As a result, all flights scheduled to take off and land at NBO have been suspended. The measurements have been put in place to ensure passengers’ safety and avoid further damages. The authority said on Twitter: “We would like to confirm that the runway at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has been temporarily closed due to an aborted takeoff by a Cargo plane that developed technical issues this morning. Our top priority is the safety of all passengers, and we are working closely with the relevant authorities to resolve this situation as quickly and safely as possible. As a result of the runway closure, all incoming and outgoing flights have been temporarily suspended.”
The accident response team attended to the aircraft rapidly, and investigations into the incident are currently taking place. Singapore Airlines has confirmed the incident and the safety of the SQ7343 crew. A spokesperson from the airline said to Simple Flying: “Singapore Airlines can confirm that SQ7343, a Boeing 747-400 freighter that was scheduled to operate from Nairobi to Amsterdam on 17 April 2023, experienced a technical issue with one of the engines as it was preparing to take off. The crew disembarked the aircraft normally, and investigations are ongoing into the incident. Singapore Airlines apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the incident.”
Some flights to NBO were forced to divert to other airports, including a Kenya Airways (KQ3) Boeing 787 inbound from New York’s JFK Airport. KQ3 made a safe landing at Entebbe International Airport (EBB). KAA regrets any inconvenience caused by the incident and advises all passengers to contact their respective airlines to check the status of their flights.
Runways are closed for various reasons, including accidents and scheduled maintenance. Airports have to follow runway safety procedures and inform operators of the closure. In most cases, flight operations can continue safely on an alternate runway or the same runway if it has been cleared.
Singapore Airlines has confirmed the incident and the safety of the SQ7343 crew
Unfortunately, Jomo Kenyatta Airport has one runway handling all international traffic. NBO is one of Africa’s largest and busiest airports, and depending on a single runway is not ideal, mainly when accidents occur. Concerns by the public and various stakeholders have resurfaced following the Singapore Airlines Cargo incident this morning.
Since the first ICAO Global Runway Safety Symposium in May 2011, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Runway Safety Program (RSP) partners have been working together to minimize the risks and reduce the effects of runway incidents such as incursions and bird strikes.
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