A Tanzania-bound Kenya Airways (KQ) flight was forced to return to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Sunday, April 27, following concerns over the potential leakage of hazardous biological material.
Passengers reported that flight KQ484, which was headed for Dar es Salaam, was ordered to turn back about 25 minutes after take-off due to fears of a possible leak involving Tuberculosis Bacilli, a dangerous biological agent, in the cargo hold.
Aviation data from Flight Radar 24 data seen by The Kenya Times shows the aircraft departed JKIA at around 12:48 PM and was scheduled to land in Dar es Salaam at 2:00 PM.
KQ flight diverted
The data further indicates the flight was diverted back to Nairobi while flying over the Chyulu Hills area.
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KQ later in a statement confirmed the diversion, citing medical emergency as the reason why the flight returned shortly after departure.
“The aircraft was received by medical personnel, and the necessary health and safety protocols were adhered to. Passengers were briefed and provided with guidance in line with health and safety regulations,” read part of the statement.
Kenya Airways further said that upon attending to the emergency, the flight was cleared for takeoff to Dar es Salaam at 3:54 PM.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain our highest priority. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate the patience and understanding of our guests during this period,” the statement adds.
Two planes diverted
The diversion of the flight comes just days after the airline saw two of its planes scheduled to land at JKIA diverted to Mombasa and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania on Thursday, April 17 morning.
In a statement, Kenya Airways informed customers that the diversions were due to the fog experienced in Nairobi.
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The national carrier said that the diversions were to ensure the safety of customers, which is their number one priority.
KQ further warned that there will be delays in departures and arrivals of some flights due to the diversion.
“We wish to inform our customers that due to poor visibility caused by fog this morning, some of our flights scheduled to land at JKIA were diverted to Mombasa and Kilimanjaro,” Kenya Airways said.
“The diversions were a safety measure to ensure the well-being of our crew and customers, which is our number one priority. As a result, we expect some delays today for certain flight departures and arrivals,” KQ said.
Possible causes of flight diversions
Simple Flying explains that many different factors can cause an aircraft to divert or land at an unplanned destination.
Among them is poor weather conditions, especially at the routes or the destination airport.
Others include technical issues, medical issues, passenger disruption, safety, or other concerns.
Besides, some planes may experience problems at the destination airports, which might force the pilot to divert.
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