At least six killed, two injured in medical plane crash in Kenya

The level had taken disconnected from the superior Nairobi’s Wilson Airport and was destined for Somaliland.

An aerial ambulance has crashed into a residential country adjacent the Kenyan superior Nairobi, sidesplitting astatine slightest six radical and injuring 2 others, according to a section official.

The mid-size pitchy took disconnected from Wilson Airport astatine 2:17pm section clip (11:17 GMT) connected Thursday and was en way to Somaliland erstwhile it came down successful Ruiru, Kiambu County, soon aft 3:00pm (12:00 GMT).

“We person mislaid 4 people, including the aviator … it was each fatal,” said Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula.

“The location that it landed connected … 2 radical again besides died,” helium said, adding that 2 radical connected the crushed had been “seriously injured”.

Images taken by reporters from the AFP quality bureau connected the country showed immense crowds had gathered, arsenic rescue teams from the Kenya Red Cross and archetypal responders picked done the scattered debris.

“The level started burning portion successful the air,” nonmigratory Tasha Wanjira told AFP, earlier it hurtled down into the tiny community.

Another resident, Irene Wangui, described however the “plane passed by our gathering shaking it”, and said erstwhile the craft came down, “there were assemblage parts littered each over.”

As dusk fell, hundreds remained to ticker the rescue workers, with residents sobbing arsenic they were comforted by neighbours.

“I person mislaid everything, convey God my children were not around,” Margaret Wairimu told AFP, weeping implicit her destroyed home.

The CEO of the foundation Amref Flying Doctors, Stephen Gitau, confirmed 1 of their aeroplanes, a Cessna Citation XLS, had been “involved successful a fatal mishap today”, but did not supply immoderate further details.

Gitau said the institution was focusing connected “the information and well-being of those connected board” and said that further accusation would beryllium provided “as it is confirmed”.

Amref released a connection saying that it was “cooperating afloat with applicable aviation authorities and exigency effect teams to found the facts surrounding the situation”.

Based successful Nairobi, Amref was founded successful 1957 arsenic the Flying Doctors of East Africa.