Tragedy Strikes as Medical Plane Crashes in Nairobi, Claims Six Lives

Six individuals have lost their lives following a plane crash involving Amref Flying Doctors in Nairobi, Kenya, as authorities work to uncover the cause of the tragedy.

A small Cessna aircraft operated by medical charity Amref Flying Doctors crashed in a residential neighborhood in Nairobi, claiming the lives of six people, including the medical personnel on board. The disaster occurred shortly after the plane took off from Wilson Airport, en route to Hargeisa, Somalia, on Thursday afternoon. According to Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula, the crash resulted in the deaths of four individuals aboard, which comprises doctors, nurses, and the pilot, while two civilians on the ground also lost their lives.

Witness accounts describe the moment of the crash. Eyewitness Patricia Kombo recounted that she and her friends heard a loud bang and saw a red flash followed by plumes of smoke as they traveled in a cab toward Githurai. "We then discovered it was a plane crash and saw the sunken hole the crash had created in the ground," she shared.

In response to the crash, the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police Service have been dispatched to the site for search and recovery efforts, while investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority reported that the plane lost both radio and radar contact just three minutes post-takeoff.

Amref CEO Stephen Gitau expressed condolences, stating, "At this time, we are cooperating fully with relevant aviation authorities and emergency response teams to establish the facts surrounding the situation."

Meanwhile, it's been reported that a separate incident occurred in which a train and a bus collided at a railway crossing near Naivasha town in central Kenya, leading to at least four fatalities. The bus, belonging to the Kenya Pipeline Company, was transporting staff who were in the process of finishing their morning shift. All injured passengers have been taken to medical facilities for treatment.

The unfolding events have heightened concerns over safety in Kenya's aviation and transport sectors, with ongoing investigations expected to shed light on both tragedies in the coming days.