A Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F has become stuck on the runway after a bird strike caused an aborted take-off from Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NB0).
The aircraft, registered as 9V-SFO, was carrying out a flight from NBO to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on April 17, 2023, when the incident took place at 8:15 AM local time (UTC +3).
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.
According to a statement issued by Kipchumba Murkomen, the Cabinet Secretary of the Kenyan Ministry of Roads and Transport, the Boeing 747-400F lost 11 of its 16 tires due to stopping abruptly on the runway.
Murkomen added that “the process to remove the aircraft from the runway required 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 aircrafts up to Code C.”
Murkomen also said that authorities expect the airport to resume full operations at 3:30 PM local time (UTC +3).
Some flights, such as Kenya Airways flight KQ3 from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to NBO were diverted to Entebbe International Airport (EBB), while Emirates flight EK719 from Dubai International Airport (DXB) did not depart at its scheduled time. Instead, the Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER is scheduled to depart DXB to NBO at 3:55 PM local time (UTC +4).
At 3:11 PM local time (UTC +3), the aircraft was towed away from the end of the runway at NBO, allowing the airport to gradually resume full operations.
UPDATE April 17, 2023, 4:30 PM (UTC +3): The article was updated with the latest information about the status of the Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F.