A medical light aircraft crashed into a small residential block near Nairobi, killing at least six people and seriously injuring two, a local official confirmed on Thursday.
The tragedy came a day after a Ghanaian military helicopter crash claimed the lives of all eight on board, including the ministers of defence and environment.
The Kenyan aircraft took off from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport at 2:17 pm local time (1100 GMT) bound for Somaliland, but came down in Ruiru, Kiambu County, shortly after 3:00 pm (1200 GMT).
“We have lost four people, including the pilot… it was all fatal,” said Kiambu County commissioner, Henry Wafula. “The house it landed on claimed two more lives,” he added, noting that two people on the ground suffered serious injuries.
AFP images from the scene showed large crowds as rescuers and first responders searched through debris.
“The plane started burning while in the air,” resident Tasha Wanjira told AFP, before it plunged into the community. Another resident, Irene Wangui, said the aircraft shook her building as it passed, before scattering body parts across the crash site.
Margaret Wairimu, whose home was destroyed, wept as she told AFP: “I have lost everything. Thank God my children were not around.”
Stephen Gitau, CEO of Amref Flying Doctors, confirmed that one of their Cessna Citation XLS aircraft was involved in the crash. He said the company’s priority was “the safety and well-being of those on board” and promised further details once confirmed.
Based in Nairobi, Amref was founded in 1957 as the Flying Doctors of East Africa.