A sombre atmosphere has enveloped the aviation community as friends, family, and fellow pilots prepare to bid a final farewell to Mariam Omar.Omar was a promising student pilot whose life was cut short in a tragic mid-air collision that occurred on Tuesday, March 5, at the Wilson Airport.The incident occurred during a training session involving a Safari Link plane that was heading to Diani and another from Ninety Nines Flying School, where Mariam was undergoing training.
The collision claimed the lives of both Mariam and her instructor, Newborn Omote. The unfortunate incident was confirmed by the flying school in an official statement on their official Facebook page.
Ninety-Nines Flying School added that investigations were underway to establish what may have caused the accident. At the time of publication, it was yet to be established who was in control of the training aircraft.
As for Safarilink, the passenger airliner that crashed into the training aircraft, it said that damage sustained during the climb out of Wilson Airport forced it to make an unplanned turnabout.
The aircraft’s manufacturer attested to the fact that, prior to the mishap, air traffic control had granted the aircraft permission to fly. At the moment, there were 39 people inside the aircraft.
“Safarilink Aviation would like to announce that shortly after takeoff this morning at 9:45 Local Time, our aircraft number 053, with 39 passengers and 5 crew members, heard a huge blast. The flight was bound to Diani.
“The crew made the quick decision to return to Nairobi-Wilson Airport for additional examination and evaluation, and they made a safe landing. A portion of the statement stated, “There were no casualties recorded.
By newshub