Senator Osotsi after aircraft crash-landing at Wilson: ‘Thank God I am still alive’

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“I thank God I’m still alive.”

These were the first words from Senator Godfrey Osotsi (Vihiga) after surviving a terrifying crash landing at Wilson Airport on Friday evening.

“I was on a Safarilink flight from Kisumu with 39 passengers, including three crew members and the pilot,” he shared.

“As we approached the runway at 8:55 PM, the plane veered off and stalled. I watched in disbelief, fearing the worst. But the pilot’s quick thinking kept us from disaster.”

He praised the pilot: “He steered the plane off the runway and prevented what could have been a catastrophic fire. I am truly grateful to him.”

But Mr Osotsi did not hold back his frustration: “Despite the pilot’s heroism, there was no ambulance on site. No emergency team came to our aid. This is unacceptable for an airport of such importance. It is a miracle we all walked away safely, but our safety should never have been left to chance.”

He also highlighted recurring problems at the airport: “The runway was flooded and the lighting system is not working properly. Flights are often diverted to JKIA at night because of these conditions. Today, it was only by God’s grace that we survived.”

Senator Osotsi tied the incident to his recent Senate concerns: “Just days ago, I called for urgent action on Wilson Airport’s safety issues. Tonight proved that the warnings were real. Wilson Airport must be closed and upgraded to meet international standards before full operations resume. The safety of Kenyans must come first.”

He concluded with a personal reflection: “I count myself blessed. This could have been a tragedy, but I am still alive. Let this be a wake-up call to the authorities--we cannot take chances with people’s lives.”