Be vigilant with Wilson Airport planes, United Kingdom warns

The United Kingdom has warned its citizens over the use of planes that operate from Wilson Airport in Nairobi.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) urged Britons to be vigilant when using the airport that is mainly used for domestic flights.

“There are some concerns about the lack of security arrangements in place at Wilson airport in Nairobi. Be vigilant at all times when transiting airports,” read part of the travel advisory.

“If you plan to charter a private aircraft, check with the company’s Safety Pilot about the condition of the aircraft and runways to be used. If the company has no Safety Pilot, find another company that does,” FCO added.

The advisory comes a month after two planes skidded off the runway at Wilson Airport. The first incident involved a Silverstone plane that crashed on the runway shortly after take-off. The plane that was heading to Lamu had five crew members and 50 passengers on board. Two people were injured.

The second incident involved a SafariLink plane, registration 5Y-SLJ, that skidded of the runway but no injuries were reported. The flight from Lamu had 10 passengers and two crew on board.

The two accidents prompted Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the regulator, to conduct an audit inspection of the airlines to determine the level of compliance with civil aviation regulations.

The FCO also warned its citizens to be vigilant when using vehicles on some of the Kenyan roads due to speeding by the drivers and their poor maintenance.

“Check the bus operator’s safety standards. Though very cheap to use, matatus (minibuses) are notorious for being poorly maintained, badly driven and uninsured. There are frequent reports of matatus being hijacked and passengers being robbed,” FCO said.