Kenya Airways Flight KQ470 was forced to return to Nairobi after failing to land in Kigali.
Kenya Airways Flight KQ470 was forced to return to Nairobi after failing to land in Kigali.
The flight, which was operating a scheduled service from Nairobi to Kigali on February 15, 2026, encountered poor weather during its final approach, prompting the crew to abort landing attempts and return to base in line with safety procedures.
According to the airline, the decision was made to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew on board.
“After two unsuccessful attempts to land, the crew elected to return to Nairobi for the safety of the passengers and crew on board,” read the statement.
Low Visibility Disrupts Landing in Kigali
In a statement issued by its Corporate Communications department, Kenya Airways said the incident occurred at around 9:10 a.m. East African Time as the aircraft approached Kigali International Airport.
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The visibility levels had dropped below the minimum required for a safe landing, making it unsafe for the aircraft to continue with its descent.
The plane landed safely back in Nairobi at 10:39 a.m., with no injuries or technical issues reported.
“Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) confirms that on 15 February 2026, at approximately 09:10 hrs (East African Time), KQ 470, on a scheduled operation from Nairobi to Kigali, encountered low visibility and deteriorating weather during the normal approach to land at Kigali International Airport,” read part of the statement.
Delay Affects Mauritius-Bound Flight
Kenya Airways said it kept passengers informed throughout the delay and provided assistance to those affected.
The carrier has also apologized for the inconvenience caused by the disruption.
We have been in contact with the affected customers and are providing the necessary assistance. We sincerely apologise to our guests for the inconvenience and assure our customers that their safety and that of our crew are our highest priorities,” stated KQ
The temporary return of KQ470 also had an impact on other scheduled services.
Kenya Airways has confirmed that Flight KQ270, which operates between Nairobi and Mauritius, was delayed as a result of the incident.
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The Mauritius-bound flight, originally scheduled to depart at 12:40 p.m., was rescheduled to leave at 4:40 p.m. following adjustments to aircraft and crew rotations.
Kenya Airways explained that such air turnbacks are standard safety measures in aviation, especially during adverse weather conditions.
“Air turnbacks are standard safety procedures. This air turnback impacted a delay for KQ270 (Nairobi-Mauritius), which was scheduled to depart at 12:40 hrs but is now rescheduled to depart at 16:40 hrs.,” read the statement.
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