‘TEMPORARY’ MOMBASA AIRPORT CLOSURE TODAY IMPACTS ON KENYA AIRWAYS FLIGHTS
(Posted 20th December 2015)
In breaking news had Kenya Airways in the early hours of the morning announced that their flights KQ600, KQ601, KQ602, KQ603, KQ604, KQ605 and KQ 625 will be affected by what they called a ‘temporary airport closure’ of Moi International Airport Mombasa. A prompt communication to the Kenya Airport Authority to comment on the cause of the closure was, probably in view of this being the early hours of Sunday morning, not answered but once a feedback is received it will be published here as an annex.
Kenya Airways’ notice also was not more specific if these flights will be delayed or cancelled so travelers to and from Mombasa are urgently advised to check with the airline to get the latest update directly from staff involved in this situation.
It was noticed that none of the other airlines with flights to and from Mombasa took the trouble to inform their passengers the way Kenya Airways did, as often before in exemplary fashion to minimize any travel disruptions for their passengers. The following statement was published on the Kenya Airways Facebook page.
Start quote:
We wish to advise that we shall experience disruption on our Mombasa flights today due to a temporary closure of Moi International Airport. The affected flights are as follows;
Departing Mombasa: KQ625, KQ601, KQ603 and KQ605.
Departing Nairobi: KQ600, KQ602 and KQ604
We thank all our guests for your patience and continued support as we endeavor to serve you.
End quote
Kenya Airways has in the meantime confirmed that the situation at Moi International Airport Mombasa was caused by an emergency landing of an aircraft from Mauritius. The situation is being monitored and when added information is available will this be posted immediately.
In a second update can it be confirmed that flight KQ625 has now been cleared for take off and is due to arrive in Nairobi at around 07.40 hrs. It must be stressed that this situation has NOTHING to do with Kenya Airways per se and other airlines flight have been equally affected.
In a third update has Kenya’s national airline now given departure and arrival times for their flights from Mombasa as follows:
Update: KQ625 landed at 0716h.
KQ600 is expected to depart NBO at 1030h.
KQ602 is expected to depart at 1100h.
It can now be conclusively confirmed that the Air France flight AF463, a Boeing B777-300ER from Mauritius to Paris was diverted to Mombasa for an emergency landing, when the crew found a suspicious bag without ID tag in one of the toilets of the aircraft. The nearly full flight landed safely in Mombasa where emergency services stood by, ready to intervene should this be required.
All passengers and crew safely disembarked and are now in hotels at the coast, waiting for the crew to undergo minimum rest time before flying the aircraft, which was thoroughly checked, back to Paris.
The suspicion in this case was found to be merely a precaution but shows how seriously airlines today take passenger safety. Congratulations to the crew therefore who reacted promptly and according to added information without causing any panic among the passengers.
FINAL UPDATE
Sections of the Kenyan media, notorious for misreporting and sensationalising such incidents, but also sections of the social media in Kenya, suggested that an explosive device was found on board the aircraft. This however was not the case. Whatever was in the bag, which was discovered behind a mirror in one of the aircraft’s washrooms, was not explosive in nature and contrary to suggestions made in in mainstream and social media was no controlled explosion carried out of the contraption.
Subsequently was airport security in Mauritius at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolan International Airport cleared of suggestions that their security measures had failed even though it is understood that Air France will carry out a fresh risk assessment at that airport.
Air France in recent weeks has been repeatedly subjected to false bomb threats and warnings on flights to and from France and reacted in a precautionary fashion. In each and every case were the threats found to be baseless.
Investigations are now ongoing to establish who was responsible for this incident and where the bag could have been planted in the washroom, whether by passengers on board, in Mauritius or even before the aircraft reached there.
This is now subject to an extensive security investigation which outcome has to be awaited instead of speculating over ‘arrests’ from among the passengers.
Fact and fiction – this blog engages in the former for the benefit of readers and not the latter to help fuel a speculation frenzy which earlier in the day went completely out of hand.
