This archive report was first published on 19 August 2019.
On August 16, 2019, a close call occurred at the Kichwa Tembo Airstrip in the Maasai Mara reserve when a Fly Safarilink commercial aircraft, registered as 5Y-SLM, hit wildebeests while landing.
The incident occurred at 1 pm, and according to the company, the wildebeests ran across the runway, causing the aircraft to hit them.
Fortunately, all passengers and crew on board the aircraft were safe, with no injuries or fatalities reported, as stated by the company in a statement.
The Maasai Mara reserve is a popular tourist destination, and during peak seasons like August, the wildebeests are known to wander all over the reserve, grazing in large numbers near the airstrips.
Several landing strips are located within the Mara ecosystem, where commercial planes drop and pick passengers before returning to Nairobi.
Safarilink operates flights from Wilson to various landing strips, including Keekorok, Mara North, Musiara, Serena, Angama, Olkiombo, and Kichwa Tembo.
