Thirteen passengers escaped death narrowly after a chartered tourist aircraft crash-landed at Nairobi's Wilson Airport, police has said.

 

They said on Monday the Safari Link plane, owned by a local charter company, operates flights to Maasai Mara, the world's leading tourist attraction.

 

"I am happy to report that none of the 13 passengers have any visible injuries. They will all undergo proper medical check-up," said Beatrice Nduta, the Kenyan Airport Police boss.

 

She said investigations into the cause of the crash were underway.

 

The aircraft, a tourist charter plane, developed technical difficulties before crash landing.

 

The air mishap is the third major one since January although minor air disasters resulting from the pilot training exercises are a common occurrence around Wilson Airport.

 

In December, a chartered plane carrying fuel to Baidoa, formerly Somali's interim capital, crashed a few kilometers after takeoff in Ruai, about 10 km outside Nairobi, but the crew escaped unhurt.   

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2007)