Senator Osotsi among 39 passengers as plane veers off runway at Wilson Airport

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi was among 39 passengers on board a Safarilink aircraft that veered off the runway at Wilson Airport on Friday evening.

According to a statement issued by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) on Friday night, the incident occurred at 2055 hrs when the aircraft arriving from Kisumu International Airport veered off the runway upon landing.

“We wish to confirm that all passengers and crew are safe, with no injuries reported. The aircraft remains on site, and recovery efforts are currently underway. Airport operations at Wilson Airport remain normal,” KAA said in a statement.

In a statement following the incident, Senator Osotsi confirmed he was on board the flight and expressed gratitude for surviving the ordeal.

“I thank God for His protection after I came out safely from an aircraft accident at Wilson Airport this evening. I was among the 39 passengers on board the Safarilink flight, including three crew members and the pilot, when the plane crash-landed,” he said.

He commended the pilot for what he termed as swift action that helped avert a possible disaster.

“I commend the pilot for his remarkable skill and presence of mind in controlling the aircraft and steering it off the runway, causing it to stall — an action that averted what could have been a catastrophic fire had the plane continued on the runway,” Osotsi said.

However, the senator raised concerns over what he described as a lack of emergency response at the airport, further linking the incident to ongoing concerns about infrastructure and safety at Wilson Airport, noting that he had recently sought a statement in the Senate regarding the matter.

“However, it is deeply troubling that despite the pilot’s efforts to save lives, there were no immediate rescue operations from the airport management. There was no ambulance on site and no emergency response team came to our aid. This level of unpreparedness is unacceptable for an airport of such significance,” he said.

“This incident comes just days after I sought a statement in the Senate of the Republic of Kenya regarding the safety concerns and deteriorating infrastructure at Wilson Airport. Today’s events have only reinforced those concerns. The runway was flooded and the lighting system is not functioning properly."

The senator called for urgent action, including the closure and upgrade of the airport.

“Wilson Airport must be closed and comprehensively upgraded to meet international safety standards before it is allowed to resume full operations. The safety of Kenyans and all air passengers must never be compromised,” he said.

According to the outspoken lawmaker, poor conditions at the airport have previously led to flight diversions to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, questioning why the flight was allowed to land.

“It is common knowledge that due to these poor conditions, flights are often diverted to JKIA in the evening, raising serious questions as to why this particular flight was not redirected,” he said.