Cargo plane to be removed from JKIA runway by 3.30 pm – Transport CS Murkomen

This after the plane, a Singapore Airline Cargo aircraft B747-400, aborted takeoff from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) when its engine caught fire leading to 11 tyres being punctured, forcing a temporary closure of the runway.

In a statement to newsrooms, Murkomen said that the process of replacing the tyres is underway to allow teams from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the Kenya Airways, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to effortlessly affect the clearance.

"The process to remove the aircraft from the runway required evacuation of 100 tonnes of cargo and replacement of the damaged tyre[s]," read part of the statement.

"Since the aircraft is at the end of the runway, we have been having limited take-off operations involving smaller aircraft up to Code C," Murkomen said.

He also apologised for inconveniences caused following the incident, affirming that "our priority remains [the] safety of our passengers."

Meanwhile, KAA has advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for further information on the status of their flights.

The numerous delays have largely affected big aircraft including a flight from New York which was expected to land by 10.00 am and experienced a 2-hour delay.

The runway has been partially opened for smaller planes to take off.