Kenya Airports Authority has reopened runway of JKIA after a Fly540 plane broke down

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has reopened the runway at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) following a brief closure after an aircraft developed a mechanical hitch.

"The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport runway has been cleared and opened. Normal operations have resumed," KAA said in a brief statement issued in Nairobi.

The aviation authority advised passengers whose flights had been affected to contact their respective airlines for their flight status.

The temporary closure of the runway disrupted flight landings and takeoffs, forcing the aviation authorities to divert flights to other airports.

Passengers alighting from Air India at JKIA. (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

Airport officials on Wednesday said all landing planes were being diverted to the city of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as officials worked to clear the Fly540 plane from the runway.

Reports indicate that the plane broke down at around 6:00 p.m. while taking off from the runway, causing some passengers to get stranded.

Only small aircraft were able to take off from runway 24. The incident had caused much agony for travellers, especially those connecting to other destinations.