Six people have been confirmed dead after an aircraft operated by AMREF Flying Doctors crashed in the Mwihoko, Githurai 45 on Thursday, August 7.
Speaking at the crash site, Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula said the incident claimed the lives of two doctors, two nurses, and two civilians who were on the ground when the plane came down.
He further revealed that several others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to hospital.
"We have already evacuated the seriously injured to the hospital to be attended to. The injured included an old lady and a house help," he said.
Wafula also dismissed rumours circulating online suggesting the aircraft was military.
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"The aircraft belongs to AMREF; I understand that what's going around is that it is a military airplane. We have a senior military officer here who can confirm that the plane doesn't belong to the military as it is being circulated on social media," he added.
In a statement earlier, AMREF CEO Stephen Gitau said the aircraft involved was a Cessna Citation XLS en route to Hargeisa, Somalia.
He confirmed that it had taken off from Wilson Airport at 2:17 PM before crashing in Mwihoko, resulting in the fatal accident.
“AMREF Flying Doctors, confirms that one of its aircraft, Cessna Citation XLS, registration 5Y-FDM, was involved in a fatal accident today. The aircraft took off from Wilson at 1417hrs en-route to Hargeisa, Somalia and crashed at Mwihoko area, Nairobi," the statement read.
Gitau also stated that AMREF was fully cooperating with the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the crash.
“At this time, we are cooperating fully with relevant aviation authorities and emergency response teams to establish the facts surrounding the situation," he added.
Gitau urged the public and media to remain patient and wait for more information to be confirmed through official AMREF channels.
“Further information will be provided as soon as it is confirmed. We respectfully ask for patience and understanding as we manage this evolving situation with care and accuracy. All official updates will be shared through AMREF Flying Doctors' official website and Social media channels," he concluded.
