Six people lost their lives in a plane crash involving a medical charity aircraft in Nairobi, Kenya, according to an official report. The Cessna, operated by Amref Flying Doctors, crashed shortly after takeoff from Wilson Airport en route to Hargeisa, Somalia. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon in the Githurai area, where the aircraft burst into flames after crashing into a residential building.
Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed that out of the deceased, four included medical personnel—doctors and nurses—along with the pilot. Additionally, two individuals on the ground succumbed to injuries, while two others are receiving treatment for serious injuries. Investigators have swiftly arrived at the scene to ascertain the cause of the crash. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority noted the plane lost all contact with air traffic control a mere three minutes post-takeoff.
"Currently, we are fully cooperating with aviation authorities and emergency response teams to uncover the details around this tragic situation," stated Stephen Gitau, CEO of Amref. To assist with rescue and recovery efforts, both the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police have been dispatched to the crash site.
An eyewitness, Patricia Kombo, described to BBC how she was in a taxi when they suddenly heard a loud explosion followed by a red flash. "Before I could capture the moment, the flash had vanished but smoke was rapidly rising," she recounted. "People were screaming and running, prompting us to abandon our trip. We later learned it was a plane crash and saw the large crater left in the ground."
In another distressing incident in Kenya, at least four people died when a train collided with a bus at a railway crossing near Naivasha. The bus, owned by the Kenya Pipeline Company, was transporting staff returning from a training center. All those injured were transported to hospitals for medical attention.
Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed that out of the deceased, four included medical personnel—doctors and nurses—along with the pilot. Additionally, two individuals on the ground succumbed to injuries, while two others are receiving treatment for serious injuries. Investigators have swiftly arrived at the scene to ascertain the cause of the crash. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority noted the plane lost all contact with air traffic control a mere three minutes post-takeoff.
"Currently, we are fully cooperating with aviation authorities and emergency response teams to uncover the details around this tragic situation," stated Stephen Gitau, CEO of Amref. To assist with rescue and recovery efforts, both the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police have been dispatched to the crash site.
An eyewitness, Patricia Kombo, described to BBC how she was in a taxi when they suddenly heard a loud explosion followed by a red flash. "Before I could capture the moment, the flash had vanished but smoke was rapidly rising," she recounted. "People were screaming and running, prompting us to abandon our trip. We later learned it was a plane crash and saw the large crater left in the ground."
In another distressing incident in Kenya, at least four people died when a train collided with a bus at a railway crossing near Naivasha. The bus, owned by the Kenya Pipeline Company, was transporting staff returning from a training center. All those injured were transported to hospitals for medical attention.
