A tragic plane crash in Nairobi has claimed the lives of six people after a light aircraft operated by Amref Flying Doctors, a leading medical charity, went down in a residential neighbourhood shortly after take-off.
The Cessna Caravan aircraft had departed Wilson Airport on Thursday afternoon, en route to Hargeisa, Somalia. Still, they lost both radio and radar contact with air traffic control just three minutes into the flight.
Moments later, the aircraft crashed and exploded in the Githurai area of the city, sparking a fire and damaging nearby buildings.
According to Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula, four individuals on board—including medical professionals and the pilot—were killed instantly. Two more people lost their lives on the ground, while two others sustained serious injuries and were taken to a local hospital for urgent treatment.
Amref Flying Doctors confirmed that the flight was part of a humanitarian mission, carrying a team of its staff and crew.
In a statement, Amref CEO, Stephen Gitau said, “We are working closely with aviation regulators and emergency response teams to uncover the full details of this devastating incident.”
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, (KCAA) also disclosed that the aircraft stopped communicating with air traffic controllers shortly after takeoff, a development now central to the official investigation.
In response, the Kenya Defence Forces and National Police Service were deployed to the crash site to conduct search and recovery operations, cordon off the area, and assist emergency responders.
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