NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 21 — Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi has called for the immediate closure of Wilson Airport following a Friday evening incident in which a passenger aircraft veered off the runway.In a statement following the incident, Osotsi—one of the thirty-nine passengers on board—called for the shutdown of the facility to allow for a comprehensive upgrade to meet international safety standards.“I thank God for His protection after I came out safely from an aircraft accident… Wilson Airport must [be] closed and comprehensively upgraded… The safety of Kenyans and all air passengers must never [be] compromised,” he said.The Senator described the landing as a “crash-landing,” praising the pilot’s actions for averting a potentially catastrophic fire by steering the aircraft off the runway.However, he sharply criticised what he termed as a lack of emergency preparedness, alleging that there were no immediate rescue operations, no ambulance on site, and no emergency response team available to assist passengers.“This level of unpreparedness [is] unacceptable for an airport of such significance,” Osotsi said.Failing infrastructure He further linked the incident to broader concerns he had previously raised in the Senate regarding deteriorating infrastructure at the airport, including claims of a flooded runway and faulty lighting systems. The politician argued that such conditions often force the diversion of evening flights toJomo Kenyatta International Airport, questioning the decision to clear the affected flight at Wilson.In a statement, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) confirmed that the aircraft, arriving from Kisumu, veered off the runway at around 8.55pm.Kenya Airports Authority said emergency teams safely evacuated all thirty-nine passengers and crew members, with no injuries reported.“We wish to confirm that all passengers and crew are safe, with no injuries reported,” the authority said.The agency added that operations at Wilson Airport remain normal and reiterated its commitment to maintaining high safety standards across all airports.The incident is likely to intensify scrutiny over safety and infrastructure at Wilson Airport, a busy hub for domestic and regional flights in Nairobi.