A Safarilink Aviation de Havilland Dash 8-300 commuter aircraft on a flight to Diani, near Mombasa has been involved in a midair collision with a light aircraft.
The twin turboprop regional aircraft, registered 5Y-SLK, was on climb out from Nairobi Wilson Airport when the incident occurred.
During the climb the crew reported hearing a loud noise. This prompted them to make a precautionary return to Wilson Airport, Kenya.
Mid-air Collision After Takeoff
The aircraft made a return landing without incident. The investigation upon landing revealed the Safarilink aircraft had been in a mid-air collision with a single-engine Cessna 172.
A local flight training organization operated the four-seat, single-engine aircraft. It had been engaged on a training flight with two people on board.
The Cessna subsequently crashed in the Nairobi National Park area, claiming the lives of the two occupants.
The Safarilink flight reported no injuries. Flight F2-53 was carrying 39 passengers and five crew members at the time of the collision.
Kenya CAA Statement
The Kenyan civil aviation authority released the statement confirming the incident, saying:
“Kenya Civil Aviation Authority wishes to confirm that an aircraft accident occurred at 10:05hrs involving a Cessna aircraft belonging to Ninety-Nines Flying School and a Dash 8 belonging to Safarilink Aviation Limited.”
“Investigations have commenced through various agencies led by the Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) and the National Police Service to establish the cause of the accident.”
About SafariLink Aviation
Safarilink Aviation is a regional airline based in Nairobi, Kenya. Founded in 2004, Safarilink Aviation has established itself as the leading safari airline in Kenya.
The airline operates scheduled services to over 15 destinations within Kenya and Tanzania. This includes popular safari destinations like the Masai Mara, Amboseli, and Tsavo National Park.
Safarilink Aviation operates a fleet of Cessna Caravans and De Havilland Dash 8 aircraft, ideally suited for landing on the short airstrips prevalent in their destinations.
- The airline is a member of the Kenya Association of Air Operators.
- They recently commenced services from Nairobi to Zanzibar.
- The airline employs over 100 staff, including 26 pilots.
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