An air ambulance operated by Amref Flying Doctors crashed into a residential area near Nairobi on Thursday afternoon, killing at least six people and injuring two others. The Cessna Citation XLS had taken off from Wilson Airport at 2:17pm local time, en route to Hargeisa, Somaliland.
The plane lost both radio and radar contact with air traffic control just three minutes after takeoff, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. It crashed in Githurai, Ruiru area of Kiambu County, shortly after 3:00pm, bursting into flames upon impact.
Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed that four people on board — including doctors, nurses, and the pilot — died, along with two people on the ground. Two others sustained serious injuries in the crash. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane burning in the air before it crashed into a home, destroying property and scattering debris. One resident said the crash caused buildings to shake, while another described seeing body parts scattered at the scene.
Amref CEO Stephen Gitau confirmed the incident and said the organization is cooperating fully with aviation authorities and emergency teams. The Kenya Defence Forces and National Police Service were deployed for search and recovery operations. Hundreds of residents gathered at the scene as emergency workers responded, many in shock and mourning.
In a separate incident the same day, a train and a bus collided near Naivasha, central Kenya, killing at least four people and injuring several others.
Source: BBC