It was supposed to be a routine conclusion to a long journey from the North Eastern frontier, but for 50 passengers aboard a domestic flight from Mandera, Monday evening turned into a heart-stopping ordeal. Moments after touching down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), their aircraft suddenly veered off the tarmac, skidding onto the grass and bringing emergency crews racing to the scene.

While the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has confirmed that all souls on board were evacuated without injury, the incident on Taxiway Echo has once again turned the spotlight on aviation safety and infrastructure resilience at the region’s critical economic gateway.

A Terrifying Detour

The drama unfolded shortly after the plane, arriving from Elwak Airstrip in Mandera County, completed its landing. According to witnesses and airport insiders, the aircraft was taxiing toward the terminal when it lost its line on the pavement. The specific cause—whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or surface conditions—remains under investigation.

KAA Acting Managing Director Mohamud Gedi moved quickly to quell fears of a wider disaster. In a statement issued late Monday, he confirmed the activation of strict safety protocols.

• Origin: Elwak Airstrip, Mandera
• Pax Count: 50 passengers and crew
• Location: Taxiway Echo, JKIA
• Status: All evacuated safely; aircraft secured

“All passengers and crew were safely accounted for,” Gedi stated, emphasizing that the airport’s emergency response teams were deployed immediately in line with established procedures.

Operational Impact

For the thousands of travelers passing through JKIA, the incident threatened to disrupt an already busy festive season schedule. While KAA maintained that “airport operations remain normal,” sources on the ground indicated that the mishap caused ripple effects, including slight delays in cargo clearance and aircraft maneuvering as the affected taxiway was cordoned off.

Aviation experts note that while taxiway excursions are generally less catastrophic than runway incidents, they are serious safety breaches. “A taxiway is the driveway of the airport,” one local pilot explained. “Going off-road there suggests a loss of control that could have been disastrous if it happened at higher speeds during landing.”

The Bigger Picture

This incident comes at a time when the government is heavily focused on upgrading the country's aviation infrastructure. Just recently, the state unveiled a massive KES 5 trillion infrastructure plan, which includes significant upgrades to JKIA starting in January 2026.

For the residents of Mandera, flights to Nairobi are not a luxury but a necessity—a critical link for business, medical emergencies, and family connections. The safety of these domestic routes is paramount for the integration of the Northern counties.

As investigators begin their work to determine why the plane left the pavement, the traveling public will be looking for assurances that this was an isolated anomaly, not a symptom of systemic strain.

“The Authority is working closely with the relevant aviation agencies to ensure the safe removal of the aircraft,” Gedi added, signaling that the focus has now shifted from rescue to recovery and answers.