Light aircraft with 4 onboard crashes in Kenya capital

NAIROBI -- At least six people were confirmed dead and two others injured after a light aircraft belonging to AMREF Flying Doctors crashed in a residential area on the outskirts of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, a government official confirmed.

"We have six people dead. The four who were on board and two on the ground. Two others were injured on the ground," said Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula.

He noted that among those deceased were four medical personnel onboard the Cessna Citation 560 ambulance aircraft with registration 5Y-FDM, as well as two members of the public at the crash scene.

According to Wafula, the injured, including an elderly woman, were rushed to a local hospital.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director-General Emile Arao said in a statement that the aircraft took off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi at 2:14 p.m. local time en route to Hargeisa in northern Somalia. It crashed three minutes later in the Mwihoko area.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident involving an air ambulance mission. Our immediate priority is to support rescue efforts and provide all necessary assistance to the families affected," Arao said.

Kenya Defence Forces and National Police Service are leading the search and rescue efforts at the crash site, according to the statement. The Air Accident Investigation Department has dispatched a team to investigate the cause of the crash.

AMREF also confirmed the accident, saying it was cooperating fully with aviation authorities and emergency responders to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.

AMREF Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gitau said in a separate statement that their immediate focus is on the safety and well-being of those on board and providing full support to their families and colleagues. "We are also offering all necessary assistance to the authorities as investigations continue," Gitau added.

Images from the scene showed the wreckage engulfed in flames as witnesses watched from a distance.