Africa-Press – Uganda. A Uganda Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Entebbe returned to OR Tambo International Airport 45 minutes after takeoff on Friday following an incident that shattered part of the aircraft’s windshield.
The airline attributed the event to a “bird strike,” though passenger accounts and expert analysis suggest other possibilities.
In a statement, Uganda Airlines said the flight crew made the decision to return to OR Tambo International Airport, where the aircraft landed safely.
“We confirm that all passengers and crew are safe. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our highest priority,” the airline said.
Passenger Simon Kaheru described the incident as a “freak event” and praised the professionalism of the crew.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Kaheru said, “In a freak incident mid-air shortly after we left Johannesburg, one half of the windscreen of the plane shattered. Capt. Tonny Tebajanga quietly and steadily handled the situation and flew us back safely. He saved many lives today.”
Michael Aboneka, who was on the plane, noted the aircraft was already at cruising altitude—around 30,000 feet—and that passengers were served meals when the incident occurred.
This detail has raised questions about the cause. Aviation experts note that bird strikes are extremely rare at typical cruising altitudes.
But the incident has raised more questions. For instance, an aviation safety specialist noted that if the aircraft was indeed 45 minutes into flight and at cruising level, a bird strike is highly unlikely.
There are birds that can fly up to 20,000 or even more feet above sea level but it is extremely rare to run into them.
This means the more probable causes would be technical issues such as thermal cracking or structural faults, often arising from manufacturing defects or installation issues after heavy maintenance.
Aboneka, a human rights advocate, criticized delays before the flight, noting that departure had reportedly been four hours behind schedule.
“Fly Uganda Airlines at your own risk, because this is how they reward patriotic citizens!” Aboneka posted on X.
The aircraft involved—a nine-year-old Airbus A320-200—is leased from Lithuanian airline DAT to support Uganda Airlines’ growing operations.
The airline’s fleet also includes CRJ900LR regional jets and Airbus A330-800neo wide-body aircraft.
Uganda Airlines operates daily flights between Johannesburg and Entebbe, serving as a key link between Uganda and South Africa.
