Kenya Dash 8 4 640Skyward Express Dash 8 damaged

A Skyward Express Dash 8 (5Y-GRS, msn 355) suffered an accident during an attempted landing at a site on the Kenya-Somali border, on 21 July 2021.

The aircraft operated on a flight from Nairobi-Wilson Airport to El Wak, both in Kenya. For unknown reasons, the flight reportedly landed at an airstrip at Burahache, Somalia, just across the border from El Wak and eighteen kilometres to the east of El Wak.

Photos from the scene show the left-hand main landing gear collapsed after striking a boulder at the side of the airstrip.

Kenya Dash 8 2 320 

Since the crash happened on the Somalia side of the border, the neighbouring country's aviation regulator will be expected to conduct an investigation into the incident.

It was not clear whether the aircraft was actually heading to El Wak or if this was an unscheduled stop. El Wak is a military base, and local reports suggest that the flight had been due to land at Mandera.

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