By Peter John
An aircraft operated by Auric Air/ALS veered off the runway while landing at Wilson Airport on Friday evening, prompting a swift emergency response.
All passengers and crew on board were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.
The aircraft, identified as a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 (registration 5Y-BXI), had arrived from Kisumu International Airport and touched down at approximately 8:55 p.m. when the incident occurred.
According to Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the plane was carrying 39 passengers.
The authority confirmed that despite the runway excursion, all individuals on board were accounted for and unharmed.
First responders were quickly deployed to the scene, with emergency teams seen evacuating passengers shortly after the aircraft came to a stop.
Recovery operations are ongoing, with the aircraft remaining at the site as investigations begin.
ALS is known for operating flights on behalf of humanitarian organizations, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), highlighting the critical role such carriers play in regional and humanitarian logistics.
Despite the incident, operations at Wilson Airport continued as normal, with KAA reassuring the public that safety protocols were promptly activated and effectively managed.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had not issued an official statement by the time of publication. Aviation authorities are expected to launch a full investigation to determine the cause of the runway excursion.
Wilson Airport remains one of East Africa’s busiest hubs for domestic and light aircraft operations, serving both commercial and humanitarian aviation needs.
More details are expected as authorities continue their assessment of the incident.
