A tragic air crash just outside Kenya’s capital on Thursday claimed six lives, after a medical evacuation jet belonging to AMREF Flying Doctors plunged into a residential area in Kiambu County, which borders Nairobi.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident, stating that rescue teams were swiftly deployed to the crash site. Military and police personnel also responded rapidly, securing the area amid burning wreckage and scattered debris. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion, followed by a fireball and the sight of debris raining over rooftops in the Githurai suburb.
The aircraft, a mid-size Cessna Citation XLS jet operated by AMREF Flying Doctors, had taken off from Nairobi and was en route to Hargeisa, the capital of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. In a statement, the air ambulance service provider said it is fully cooperating with aviation authorities and emergency services to determine the cause of the crash. It did not disclose the number of casualties or speculate on the cause, but assured that more information would be released in due course.
Confusion initially surrounded the incident, with the Kenya Red Cross earlier misreporting the aircraft as a helicopter. However, AMREF later clarified the aircraft type and route.
Local media outlet The Star reported a swift and coordinated response from the authorities, with emergency services quickly arriving to cordon off the scene and begin recovery efforts.
Although crashes involving light aircraft are relatively common in the region, this latest tragedy has raised renewed concerns over flight safety. In April last year, Kenya’s military chief was among 10 people killed in a military helicopter crash shortly after take-off.
Kenyan government officials have yet to issue a formal statement on the latest crash.
