JKIA operations resume after plane mishap

Operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport have resumed after an eight-hour delay occasioned by a runway mishap.

The busy airport was closed at 4.00am Wednesday after an EgyptAir flight veered off the runway as it prepared to land.

"....this is to confirm that normal operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport resumed from 12.00 noon today (Wednesday) after the obstacle was cleared from the runway," said a statement from the Kenya Airports Authority.

The EgyptAir 849 flight was carrying 123 passengers from Cairo. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated to the terminal building.

In a statement issued earlier, Kenya Airways said JKIA had been closed indefinitely and flights diverted.

"All Kenya Airways morning arrivals have been diverted to Mombasa, Entebbe and Dar es Salam," the statement said.

"All departing lights from JKIA Nairobi have been delayed indefinitely."

The airline said its offices in Entebbe, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam "have arranged for special handling of passengers affected by the disruptions".

"We may also experience resultant delays and cancellations as a result of this disruption and appeal to our affected passengers for understanding and patience during this period," the statement said.

Flights diverted to Mombasa international airport includes, KQ311 from Dubai, KQ203 ex Mumbai, KQ101 ex London, KQ466 ex Bujumbura and Kigali, KQ331ex Jeddah, KQ521 ex Dakar and Abidjan, KQ765 from Johannesburg.

Flights diverted to Entebbe international Airport in Uganda includes, KQ542 ex Lagos and Cotonou, KQ321 ex Cairo and Khartoum, KQ511 from Freetown and Accra and KQ117 from Amsterdam.

KQ 221 from New Delhi has been diverted to Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salam.

"All the concerned stakeholders at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are working to remove the grounded aircraft to ensure normal operations resume," KQ said.