Unable To Land At Kilimanjaro, No Injuries Reported

An email that arrived at ANN Wednesday morning contained some photos of a Boeing 767 that had made an emergency landing at Arusha Airport in Tanzania ... and it's unclear how the airplane will ever leave the airport, at least in one piece.

A blog focusing on aviation and tourism in the Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean region written by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome relays information from sources at Kilimanjaro International Airport that Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET815 was unable to land at Kilimanjaro International Airport because there was another airplane on the runway experiencing mechanical problems. It is not known why the airliner was diverted to Arusha Municipal Airport, a GA field with a 5,315 foot runway, instead of Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, which would be the normal alternates. The amount of fuel on board the 767 will be a focus of the investigation.

The Boeing touched down at Arusha, but overran the end of the runway and buried its nose gear in soft soil. Passengers had to wait on the airplane until an air stair could be brought from Kilimanjaro, about 27 miles away.

The source at Kilimanjaro told Dr. Thome that, even if the airliner were stripped of seats and other equipment, it's unclear whether it will be able to depart from Arusha to Kilimanjaro. The elevation at Arusha is 4,550, according to ICAO data.

Meanwhile, Arusha Airport has been closed while the situation is dealt with, meaning flights in and out of the airport, including scheduled air carrier flights and charters to and from nearby national parks, are being rescheduled.

(Photo by Tim Harrison)

FMI: www.tcaa.go.tz