This archive report was first published on 6 October 2019.
On October 4, a Kenya Airways plane heading to Dar es Salaam made an unexpected turn back to Nairobi after oxygen masks dropped mid-air, leaving passengers in a state of panic.
Passengers took to Twitter to share their ordeal, with some alleging that the incident was caused by engine failure. However, Kenya Airways later clarified the cause of the incident in a statement issued on October 5.
According to the airline, the oxygen masks dropped due to a faulty switch, not engine failure or decompression of the aircraft. The cabin altitude at the time of the incident was 8,000 feet, which is within the standard and acceptable measure.
As a precautionary measure, the crew decided to return to Nairobi, where alternative flight provisions were made for the passengers.
"We confirm that the cause of the oxygen masks dropping was due to a faulty switch that triggered the drop, and not attributed to decompression of the aircraft or engine failure," said Kenya Airways in a statement.
