This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
On Friday morning, a Silverstone Air passenger plane skidded off the runway at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, sparking a dramatic rescue operation.
According to eyewitnesses, the Fokker 50 aircraft lost its way during take-off to Mombasa, plunging into a thicket and hitting some trees before coming to a stop.
Images from the scene showed the plane tilted to one side, with part of its wing broken.
A passenger who had boarded the plane told the Nation that the pilot realized 'some issues' before the plane took off, but did not provide further details.
The Kenya Red Cross reported that the plane 'developed some technical hitch while taking off', but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Emergency rescue teams evacuated the plane, with the pilot and some passengers being rushed to hospitals for medical check-ups.
Firefighters arrived on the scene in good time and sprayed thick foam on the plane to prevent flames.
Silverstone Air confirmed the accident in a statement on Twitter, saying the plane was operating on the Wilson-Mombasa-Lamu-Mombasa-Wilson route.
'The passengers and crew have all been safely disembarked and we are currently working with the relevant authorities to assess the situation,' the statement read.
