There was panic at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday evening after a plane full of passengers veered off the taxiway.
Confirming the incident, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) reported that the plane had just landed at JKIA from Mandera at the time of the incident.
According to KAA, the plane landed without a hitch from Elwak Airstrip in Mandera, but veered off the taxiway shortly after landing at the JKIA.
All 50 passengers aboard the plane escaped unhurt, with an airport emergency response team being deployed to contain the situation.
"A domestic flight from Elwak airstrip in Mandera to JKIA Nairobi with 50 passengers on board veered off Taxiway Echo shortly after landing at JKIA," a statement from KAA Managing Director, Mohamud Gedi said.
"All passengers and crew were safely accounted for. Airport emergency response teams have been activated in line with established procedures."
The authority further assured the public that airport operations remained normal after the incident, with aviation authorities working to ensure the aircraft was moved from the taxiway.
While the KAA did not reveal the cause of the slight malfunction in the plane, experts have observed that an aircraft can veer off a taxiway due to a number of factors, including adverse weather.
In some cases, the aircraft may develop mechanical issues while another common cause of the mishap is human error.
Aviation experts also observe that part of the reason taxiway incidents are not as catastrophic is because planes are typically at extremely low speeds at taxiways compared to runways.
Essentially, a taxiway is the "driveway" that enables an aircraft to move between different operational areas while on the ground.
A taxiway is also an essential safety infrastructure as it separates moving aircraft from those actively taking off or landing, which reduces the risk of runway incidents.
