Tragic Plane Crash in Nairobi Claims Six Lives

In a tragic incident, six individuals lost their lives when a medical charity's light aircraft crashed in Nairobi, prompting an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Six people, including medical staff, died when a medical charity's Cessna aircraft, operated by Amref Flying Doctors, crashed shortly after taking off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi. The plane was bound for Hargeisa, Somalia, but lost radio and radar contact within three minutes. It ultimately crashed into a Githurai residential area, causing a fire. Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed that four individuals were on board the plane, while another two on the ground also perished. Two others have sustained serious injuries. In response, the Kenya Defence Forces and National Police have been dispatched to support search and recovery operations.

Eyewitnesses described the harrowing moment of the crash, with one, Patricia Kombo, recounting hearing a loud explosion and witnessing a plume of smoke rise from the crash site. The Amref Flying Doctors team has committed to cooperating fully with aviation authorities as investigations begin into the crash's causes. The sad event comes just days after a separate traffic accident near Naivasha town, where a train collided with a bus, resulting in four fatalities, shedding light on the ongoing safety concerns in Kenya’s transport sectors.