Medical Air Ambulance Crashes Near Nairobi, Killing Six

A small medical aircraft crashed into a residential area near Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, leaving at least six people dead and two others with serious injuries, according to local authorities.

The tragedy came just a day after a separate aviation disaster in Ghana, where a military helicopter crash claimed eight lives, including those of the country’s defence and environment ministers.

In the Kenyan case, officials said the light aircraft had departed from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport at 2:17 p.m. local time (11:00 GMT) and was headed to Somaliland. It went down less than an hour later in Ruiru, Kiambu County, bursting into flames after hitting a small home.

Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed that the pilot and three others on board were killed instantly, along with two people inside the house it struck. Two more residents sustained severe injuries.

Witnesses described the dramatic moments before the crash. “It caught fire while still in the air,” said local resident Tasha Wanjira. Another resident, Irene Wangui, recalled how the aircraft rattled nearby buildings before impact, leaving “body parts scattered everywhere.”

Emergency crews worked into the evening as crowds gathered, with many locals visibly shaken. One homeowner, Margaret Wairimu, stood in tears before the wreckage of her property, saying she was grateful her children were not home at the time.

Amref Flying Doctors later confirmed the plane, a Cessna Citation XLS, belonged to their fleet. CEO Stephen Gitau said the organisation was focusing on the welfare of those involved and would release further details once confirmed.

Founded in 1957 as the Flying Doctors of East Africa, Amref Flying Doctors is based in Nairobi and provides emergency medical flights across the region.