Miracle in Mandera as 36 Survive After EBB Air Jet Overshoots Runway into Dense Forest

An EBB Air jet overshot the Mandera Airstrip runway on April 24, 2026. All 36 passengers survived, sparking new concerns over Kenya’s aviation safety.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 5:51 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from TUKO.co.ke

Emergency Evacuation at Mandera Airstrip

A major aviation disaster was narrowly averted on the morning of Friday, April 24, 2026, when an EBB Air flight on the Nairobi-Mandera route lost control during landing. The Embraer aircraft overshot the runway at Mandera Airstrip, plowing through the perimeter and coming to a halt in nearby thick brush. Emergency responders confirmed that all 36 individuals on board—including the flight crew—were evacuated safely from the scene.

Wreckage and Preliminary Observations

Images and videos shared by eyewitnesses on social media platforms show the nose of the Embraer jet buried deep in forest vegetation. Faint plumes of smoke were observed rising from the left wing shortly after the impact. While a fire did not engulf the fuselage, the structural damage to the nose and landing gear appeared significant. Official investigators from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority have been dispatched to the site, though a formal statement on the mechanical or environmental causes of the overshoot has yet to be released.

A Growing Trend of Aviation "Gaffes"

The Mandera crash is the latest in a string of recent aviation incidents that have raised national alarm. Just last month, on March 20, a Safarilink flight carrying 39 passengers crash-landed at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport after arriving from Kisumu. In that instance, the pilot was forced to execute a daring maneuver to avoid a more catastrophic impact. These recurring mishaps have led to increased scrutiny of wet-lease arrangements and the maintenance standards of regional budget carriers.