- A regional passenger plan operated by Skyward Express crash landed in Kenya this afternoon.
- Accoring to the Kenya Civil Aviation Administration all passengers escaped from the plane. No casulties are reported
- The plane crash landed at a KKenya military base in Elwak, in the remote province Mandera
The small passenger aircraft operated by Nairobi-based s regional airline Skyward Express was able to crash land in Boru Hache near the Kenya- Somali – Ethiopian border.
The aircraft appears to be a Dash8- Q 300
Mandera is the capital of Mandera County in the former North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is situated at around 3°55′N 41°50′E, near the borders with Somalia and Ethiopia.
Skyward Express, is a private airline operating in Kenya. It serves local destinations, from its two operations bases at Wilson Airport for passengers and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for cargo. Both airports are located in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital city.
The airline maintains its headquarters at Wilson Airport, within Nairobi, Kenya’s largest city and the country’s capital. Wilson Airport is located approximately 5 kilometers (3 mi), by road, southwest of the city center.
The airline maintains a private building at Wilson Airport, for the exclusive use of Skyward Express staff and clients. The building is “equipped with a modern cafeteria”, among other amenities.
Skyward Express was established in 2013, by two pilots; one of whom serves as the chairman of the airline, while the other serves as its managing director. Skyward Express inherited some equipment and some routes from the defunct Skyward International Aviation.
With the cessation of service by Skyward International Aviation, the two licensed pilots, Mohamed Abdi and Issack Somow started Skyward Express and began commercial operations in 2013. Initially, the airline offered passenger charter and cargo service between Nairobi, Kenya, and destinations in neighboring Somalia. These services included the shipment of miraa from Nairobi to Somalia.
With the acquisition of more aircraft, the airline has expanded and diversified its passenger and cargo service to include more destinations and frequencies to oil-rich northwestern Kenyan counties and the coastal tourist attractions.
