Rescuers stand next to the wreckage parts from a scene where a Kenyan medical plane crashed, killing at least 6 people, on the outskirts of Nairobi on August 7, 2025. | Photo by SIMON MAINA / AFP
A medical evacuation plane bursts into flames mid-air before crashing into a residential home near Nairobi, leaving the community in grief
At least six people were killed and two others seriously injured on Thursday when a medical evacuation light aircraft crashed into a residential building in Ruiru, Kiambu County, just outside Nairobi.
According to Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula, four of the victims, including the pilot were on board the Cessna Citation XLS operated by Amref Flying Doctors, while two others died when the plane struck their home. Two people on the ground sustained severe injuries.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and horror as the aircraft, which had taken off from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport at 2:17 pm local time (1100 GMT) en route to Somaliland, caught fire mid-air before plummeting into the small community shortly after 3:00 pm (1200 GMT). “The plane started burning while in the air,” recalled resident Tasha Wanjira, while another witness, Irene Wangui, said it passed close to her building, shaking it before the crash scattered body parts across the area.
As rescue workers combed through debris and soot-covered rubble, distraught residents gathered in large numbers. Margaret Wairimu, whose home was destroyed, wept as she recounted: “I have lost everything. Thank God my children were not around.”
Amref Flying Doctors CEO Stephen Gitau confirmed the incident but said the focus was on “the safety and well-being of those on board,” promising further details as investigations progress.
Founded in 1957, Amref Flying Doctors, formerly the Flying Doctors of East Africa is based in Nairobi and is known for providing emergency medical evacuation services across the region.
The disaster came less than 24 hours after a separate aviation tragedy in Ghana, where a military helicopter crash claimed the lives of all eight occupants, including the country’s ministers of defence and environment.
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