Paul Nyathi|A Kenya Airways plane that was headed to Nairobi from Johannesburg is said to have turned back in what was alleged to be a stowaway incident.

According to the Aviation Herald, KQ761 was midair when the pilot was notified of the presence of a maintenance engineer aboard the aircraft.

”While leveling off at FL310 the crew turned around and returned to Johannesburg,” the Aviation Herald reported on Tuesday.

The plane had left Oliver Tambo Airport at 12:10 South African time.

30 minutes later, the aircraft was back at the airport.

Reports indicated that the maintenance engineer was discovered safe and sound.

“He’s here and conscious!” Aviation Herald quoted the crew said.

The Boeing 787-8 plane is said to have stayed at the airport for almost an hour before resuming the journey to Nairobi.

Kenya Airways however did not affirm the claims of the stowaway only stating that: “….we had an air-turn back due to operational reasons, however the same flight left Johannesburg at 1335Hrs.”

In July of this year, a dead stowaway was discovered to have been on a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi to London.

The body of the unidentified male dropped from the plane into a garden in Clapham, South London.

It is believed that he died inside the landing compartment where he had hidden himself.

“UK police also discovered a bag containing food and some clothing at the rear left landing gear of the plane,” the Kenya Airports Authority later revealed.

A photo of the man was released in October but his identity is yet to be verified.

Source: Citizen ke