NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya Airways has confirmed that one of its aircraft was grounded in South Africa after sustaining damage from a bird strike upon arrival in Cape Town.
In a statement issued Saturday, the airline said the aircraft had been operating the Nairobi to Cape Town route when the incident occurred earlier in the day.
“We confirm that earlier today, one of our aircraft operating from Nairobi (NBO) to Cape Town (CPT) experienced a bird strike incident upon arrival into Cape Town,” the airline said.
According to Kenya Airways, the aircraft landed safely at Cape Town International Airport at approximately 1:55 p.m. East African Time.
The carrier emphasised that passenger safety was never compromised during the landing despite the incident.
Following a technical inspection after landing, the aircraft was declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG) after engineers identified significant damage to the radome, the protective nose section of the aircraft that houses weather radar equipment.
The damage disrupted the scheduled return flight from Cape Town to Nairobi, forcing the airline to suspend normal operations on the route pending repairs.
“Following technical assessment, the aircraft was declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG) following significant damage to the radome. This affected the service flight from Cape Town back to Nairobi,” the statement added.
Kenya Airways said the aircraft is currently undergoing the required safety inspections and maintenance procedures before it can resume operations.
The airline noted that technical teams are working urgently to repair the aircraft and return it to service within the next 24 hours.
The national carrier further said it was working to minimise inconvenience to passengers affected by the disruption through travel updates and alternative arrangements where necessary.
Kenya Airways apologised to customers affected by the delays and thanked them for their patience during the recovery process.
The incident comes just days after the airline announced the return of one of its grounded Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft to service ahead of the expected peak global travel season linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The airline said restoring normal operations while maintaining strict safety standards remains its top priority.
