A Kenya Airways (KQ) flight headed for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was thrown into chaos today after fears of a hazardous biological leak forced the aircraft to make an emergency return to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) just minutes after take-off.
Passengers aboard the ill-fated flight described terrifying scenes as the captain announced the sudden change of plans roughly 25 minutes into the journey. According to preliminary reports, the emergency was triggered by concerns over a potential leak involving Tuberculosis Bacilli, a highly infectious and dangerous biological agent, suspected to be in the cargo hold.
Flight radar data reviewed by Channel 15 News shows the aircraft took off from JKIA at around 12:48 PM and was en route to land in Dar es Salaam by 2:00 PM. The data further indicates that the flight was ordered to turn back while flying over the Chyulu Hills area, prompting a swift and tense return to Nairobi.
“We started noticing something was wrong when the flight attendants became unusually tense,” one passenger told Channel 15 News. “Minutes later, the pilot announced that we had to turn back due to a technical issue. It’s only later that we heard rumors it involved a dangerous biological substance. People were terrified.”
As of the time of publishing, Kenya Airways had yet to issue an official statement addressing the incident. Passengers have demanded clarity amid rising concerns about the safety protocols surrounding the transportation of hazardous biological materials on commercial flights.
Aviation experts warn that a leak involving Tuberculosis Bacilli could have posed a grave threat not only to passengers but also to airport ground staff and the general public, had the situation escalated.
Investigations are currently underway, and authorities are expected to brief the public once preliminary findings are available.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Channel 15 News for live updates.
