A serious aviation scare was narrowly avoided in Kenya after a passenger aircraft reportedly veered off the runway during landing and ended up in thick bushes at Mandera airstrip. Despite the dramatic incident, all 36 people onboard survived without any reported injuries.
According to aviation officials and local reports, the aircraft Embraer departed from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi early Friday morning at approximately 6:56 a.m. The flight was carrying 32 passengers and four crew members.
The aircraft is said to have landed at Mandera airstrip around 8:30 a.m., but encountered difficulties during touchdown. It reportedly failed to come to a complete stop within the runway distance, resulting in a skid off the paved surface and into nearby dense vegetation.
Images shared from the scene show the aircraft partially embedded in bushes, with the tail section visibly raised while much of the fuselage remained trapped in the thicket. These visuals have circulated widely online alongside early eyewitness accounts.
Despite the severity of the runway excursion, emergency responders and airport personnel confirmed that all occupants were safely evacuated and accounted for. No injuries or fatalities were reported, making the outcome unusually fortunate given the nature of the incident.
An aviation source noted that investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the overshoot. Authorities are expected to examine possible contributing factors such as runway conditions, landing speed, weather at the time, and aircraft braking performance.
Local security officials, including the Mandera County police leadership, have also confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident.
The Mandera airstrip, located near Kenya’s borders with Somalia and Ethiopia, is known for handling humanitarian flights, government operations, and charter services. Due to its remote location and operational challenges, safety and runway conditions are often closely monitored by aviation authorities.
As investigations continue, the incident has raised renewed attention on aviation safety standards at remote airstrips and the challenges faced by aircraft operating in difficult landing environments.
For now, the event stands as a rare case of a major runway accident ending without loss of life, despite the dramatic circumstances.
