Plane Full of Passengers Skids Off “Driveway” at JKIA,What Happened Next Will Relieve You

Chaos erupted on the tarmac at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday evening, but it ended with a collective sigh of relief.

A domestic flight, arriving from Elwak airstrip in Mandera with 50 souls on board, had just touched down safely. But moments later, as it turned onto the airport’s intricate network of pathways, the aircraft veered off Taxiway Echo.

The incident triggered immediate alarm and a swift deployment of the airport’s emergency response teams. Eyewitnesses reported a scene of tension as rescue units raced to the site, their lights piercing the evening gloom.

Thankfully, the story took a fortunate turn. In a statement released shortly after the event, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Dr. Mohamud Gedi confirmed the best possible news: “All passengers and crew were safely accounted for.” Not a single injury was reported.

So, how did a plane sliding off the pavement avoid disaster? Aviation experts point to a key detail: speed. Unlike the high-velocity drama of a runway takeoff or landing, a taxiway is essentially the airport’s “driveway.” Aircraft move at a crawl here, navigating between terminals, runways, and gates. This low-speed environment is precisely why such incidents, while serious, are often less catastrophic.

“The plane landed without a hitch,” authorities noted, emphasizing that the mishap occurred during the ground transit phase. The taxiway itself is a critical safety feature, designed to separate idling or moving planes from the high-stakes zones where aircraft are actively landing or blasting off.

Despite the scare, airport officials were quick to assure the public that operations at the busy international hub continued normally. The focus shifted from emergency response to recovery. “The Authority is working closely with the relevant aviation agencies to ensure the safe removal of the aircraft,” the KAA statement concluded, reaffirming its commitment to safety.

For the 50 passengers and crew aboard the flight, their journey ended with an unexpected detour onto the grass, but, miraculously, with everyone walking away unharmed—a stark reminder of both the vulnerabilities and the robust safety protocols in modern air travel.