After a bird strike at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NB0) prevented a takeoff, a Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F got stuck on the runway.
On April 17, 2023, around 8:15 AM local time (UTC +3), the event occurred while the airplane, registered as 9V-SFO, was flying from NBO to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS).
Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F arrived at NBO from O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), Johannesburg, South Africa.
As a result of the aborted take-off, the aircraft blew out its tires and became stuck, closing off the only runway at NBO.
The Kenyan Ministry of Roads and Transport’s Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, said in a statement that the Boeing 747-400F lost 11 of its 16 tires as a result of stopping abruptly on the runway.
Murkomen added that “the process to remove the aircraft from the runway required the evacuation of 100 tonnes of cargo and replacement of the damaged tyre before the aircraft can be towed off the runway.”
He continued: “Since the aircraft is at the end of the runway, we have been having limited take-off operations involving smaller aircraft up to Code C.”
Murkomen added that by 3:30 PM local time (UTC +3), the airport is anticipated to resume full operations.
A few planes, including Emirates flight EK719 from Dubai International Airport (DXB), did not leave at the scheduled time, while Kenya Airways flight KQ3 from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Nairobi International Airport (NBO) was diverted to Entebbe International Airport (EBB).
