This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Published on November 1, 2019, a day after the second incident involving a Silverstone Airline aircraft at Eldoret International Airport.
Two recent accidents involving Silverstone Airline aircraft have raised concerns about air safety in Africa. The first incident occurred when a plane crash-landed on take-off at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, while the second involved a wheel coming off another aircraft during take-off at Eldoret International Airport.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but a few injuries were reported. While this is some consolation, it is a stark reminder of the risks associated with air travel in Africa.
The aviation industry is generally considered one of the safest modes of transport, but lax controls and casual enforcement of regulations in many African countries have raised concerns about the safety of African skies.
It is too early to judge Silverstone Airline's safety record, as investigations are ongoing. However, accusations are already being made, with the airline expressing concerns about the condition of some local airports.
The onus is on the Kenya Airports Authority to ensure that all facilities and equipment are in place to ease airlines' operations. This is their job, and not the airlines, who are their major customers.
Following the second incident, some Kenyans expressed their concern about air safety and accused the regulator of negligence. However, the director-general of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Gilbert Kibe, has given an assurance that the airline is being audited to check its compliance with safety regulations.
The regulator must enforce safety standards to make air travel not only efficient but also beneficial to Kenyans.
