CS James Macharia: ‘There’s No Boeing 737 Max 8 planes in Kenya’s airspace’

The Sunday crash raised eyebrows on the safety and familiarity of a new anti-stalling mechanism designed to prevent stalling by counter-checking the angle-of-attack of the plane using sensors. In Africa, the plane has been supplied to Ethiopian Airlines and Mauritania Airlines. The Transport Cabinet Seretary said in a statement released Tuesday evening that no foreign carrier operating in Kenyan airspace was using the said model (Boeing 737) that has since been grounded in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Oman, and Malaysia.

“We wish to state that no Kenya air operator has in their fleet the affected aircraft type,” James Macharia said. The ET302 flight crashed in Bishoftu some 60 kilometers southeast of Bole International Airport, six minutes after takeoff. Kenya suffered the greatest fatalities 32 in the crash, with the flight having been headed to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The 737 Max 8 crash was the second most deadliest in six months, after a Lion Air flight departing from Jakarta in October 2018 having killed all 189 passengers on board 13 minutes after takeoff.

Macharia also reiterated that Ethiopian Airlines was committed to supporting relatives of those who perished in the accident to travel to Addis Ababa in line with rules set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The airline had earlier in the day assured relatives of 32 Kenyans who died in the crash that they would be flown to Ethiopia with accommodation catered for.

Quindos Karanja, a relative to Caroline Karanja who died alongside her three kids and mother (Ann Karanja) said the airline had offered to book those who were willing to travel to Addis Ababa on a Tuesday evening flight. Quindos however said the family would not be sending a representative to Addis Ababa on Tuesday, adding they had decided to return to Nakuru where family meetings are being held.

CS Macharia had said on Monday efforts were being made to contact some seven families yet to be reached by then, with the government saying it had already contacted relatives of 25 Kenyans who were on board the ill-fated plane that crashed six minutes after takeoff from Bole International Airport. “Out of the 32 passengers who were on board, the teams have managed to reach out and talk to 25 families. Those who would like to fly to Addis Ababa, I’m sure they’ll be facilitated,” the Transport CS said.

Ethiopian Airlines Manager in Charge of Operations in Kenya, Yilma Goshu Gobena, had said the airline was willing to help with travel arrangements and accommodation for the bereaved families. “Concerning families and relatives who’d like to travel, we’re ready to assist take them go to Addis, give them accommodation, then constant updates will be given from the other side (Addis Ababa),” Gobena told the press Monday morning.

Boeing had by January received 5,011 orders for the plane with plans for the launch of a Max 10 model having been set for 2020.