Kenya allows aircraft without passengers to take off

English>>World

Editor's Pick

Kenya allows aircraft without passengers to take off

(Xinhua) 11:23, August 08, 2013

Email|Print|Comments

twitter

facebook

Sina Microblog

NAIROBI, Aug. 7 -- The Kenyan government has allowed aircraft to take off without passengers after a huge fire was brought under control at the East African country's main airport on Wednesday.

Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Engineer Michael Kamau said, "Although the airport is closed, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that the airspace is open and flights can overfly the area."

Kamau made the announcement after fire-fighters and an emergency rescue team contained the fire, which started at 4:30 a. m. (local time).

"As the normalization process gets underway, aeroplanes that want to take off without passengers have been allowed to do so," Kamau said. The government has appointed a committee to be headed by Kamau to evaluate the situation at the report.

There is no casualty reported and the cause of the fire in the immigration area of the International Arrivals terminal and the customs/ baggage area has not been established.

Kamau said JKIA's emergency security program is now in full force and that all the responding agencies are on the ground to ensure that the situation is normalized as soon as possible.

"We have been able to evacuate every one and no injuries have been reported," he said, adding that arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Some of the passengers who had been stranded at the airport have disembarked and are being cleared at the cargo terminal.

The development comes as Kenya Airways has announced the cancelation of all its flights until further notice.

Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni said five flights KQ117, KQ331, KQ311, KQ863, and KQ203 have been diverted to the Indian Ocean port city Mombasa.

"All our transit passengers are being facilitated to hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa. We would like to inform all our customers and stakeholders that due to the fire incident at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) all our flights are currently cancelled until further notice," he said.

Kenya Airways staff and customers are safe and there is no damage to aircraft, according to the official.

Earlier, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Engineer Stephen Gichuki said President Uhuru Kenyatta went to the airport, assessing the situation and being briefed periodically about the incident, which has caused panic among passengers.

He reassured international and local travellers that arrangements are being put in place to restore normal operations at the busy airport.

"The airlines are working to assist stranded passengers and advise them on the measures being put in place to resume services at JKIA," Gichuki said.

"A committee has been formed to evaluate the situation and ensure the resumption of operations at the earliest possible opportunity," he added.