Four heroes in white coats took off from Wilson Airport with one mission: to save a critically ill child in Somalia. Three minutes later, their plane crashed in a residential neighborhood, claiming six lives and leaving a community in shock. This is the heartbreaking story of a rescue mission that became a tragedy.
A humanitarian air ambulance mission ended in tragedy on August 7 when an AMREF Flying Doctors aircraft crashed into residential buildings in Mwihoko, Githurai 45, killing six people.
The Cessna Citation XLS had departed Nairobi’s Wilson Airport at 2:17 PM, en route to Hargeisa, Somaliland, to evacuate a critically ill child to Kenya for urgent treatment. Merely three minutes after takeoff, the plane lost all radio and radar contact. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft ablaze before it plunged into the densely populated neighborhood, sparking a massive fire.
All four crew members — the pilot, co-pilot, a doctor, and a nurse — died instantly, along with two residents on the ground. At least two others sustained injuries and were hospitalized.
AMREF CEO Stephen Gitau called the incident “baffling,” citing the crew’s extensive experience and the jet’s strong performance record. Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched a full investigation, and officials are urging residents to return the missing black box, which is critical to determining the cause of the crash.
Founded in 1957, AMREF Flying Doctors is renowned across Africa for lifesaving missions. The loss has deeply shaken Kenya’s aviation and medical communities, reigniting concerns about air safety after a series of recent accidents.
Authorities have pledged support for the victims’ families and those affected in the community, while investigators secure the site and recover debris. Gitau honored the fallen crew as “heroes who died in service to humanity.”
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