NAIROBI: Six people were killed, including two on the ground, when a small plane crashed into a densely populated neighbourhood in Kenya’s capital Nairobi on Thursday afternoon, a local official said.
The Cessna plane, run by AMREF Flying Doctors, came down as it was flying to Hargeisa, the capital of Somalia’s breakaway territory of Somaliland, the charity said in a statement.
The plane was carrying four passengers when it crashed into buildings in the Githurai suburb in northeastern Nairobi, Citizen TV reported. A police source said at least two people had been killed. One witness, who asked not to be named, said she heard a loud sound, then saw a fireball and debris scattered over the neighbourhood.
Unverified videos shared on social media showed firefighters trying to douse burning debris inside what appeared to be a residential compound.
Crashes involving light aircraft are relatively common in eastern Africa.
In April last year, Kenya’s military chief was among 10 people killed when their military helicopter crashed shortly after take-off. — Reuters
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