A tragic accident has shocked Kenya after an AMREF Flying Doctors air ambulance crashed in a residential area of Mwihoko, Kiambu County, on the afternoon of Thursday, August 7. The crash claimed six lives and left two others injured, causing heartbreak both in the skies and on the ground.
The plane, a Cessna Citation with the registration number 5Y-FDM, had just taken off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi at around 2:30 pm local time. It was headed to Hargeisa in northern Somalia on a humanitarian mission to provide urgent medical assistance.
Only a few minutes after takeoff, tragedy struck. According to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the aircraft lost both radio and radar contact with Air Traffic Control just three minutes into its flight. Moments later, it crashed into a house in Mwihoko, a quiet neighborhood that borders Nairobi.
Authorities confirmed that all four people on board, two crew members and two medical personnel, died instantly in the crash. On the ground, two residents inside the house that the plane struck also lost their lives.
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Two other people in the area were injured and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud bang, followed by a fireball and thick black smoke rising into the sky.
AMREF Flying Doctors released a statement confirming the tragedy. The organization expressed its deep sorrow and pledged to support the families of those lost.
CEO Stephen Gitau said their immediate priority was the well-being of the affected families and offering full assistance during this painful period.
The Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID), under the Ministry of Transport, has taken charge of the official investigation. The KCAA confirmed that a specialist team has been sent to the crash site to determine the cause of the accident.
Security agencies, including the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the National Police Service, were quick to respond. They secured the area, managed crowds, and assisted in the rescue operations. The Kenya Red Cross also deployed teams to provide emergency medical aid and support to survivors.
Debris from the aircraft was scattered over a wide radius, and several nearby buildings sustained damage from the impact and resulting fire. The once-quiet Mwihoko neighborhood turned into a scene of chaos as residents gathered in shock.
Witnesses described the crash as sudden and violent, with the plane seeming to drop out of the sky without warning. The process of identifying victims and delivering their remains to their families is ongoing.
While the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has not yet issued a formal statement, they are believed to be assisting with the investigation alongside other agencies.
This disaster has sparked questions about aviation safety, the condition of the aircraft, and what could have caused such a catastrophic failure so soon after takeoff. Answers may take weeks or months, but for now, the nation is mourning the loss of six precious lives.
