MALINDI, Kenya, Jan 10 – A training aircraft crash-landed on Friday afternoon in Malindi, killing three people at a busy roadside stage in Kwachocha area just outside the airport.
Kilifi County Police Commander Joseph Ongwae confirmed the fatalities, identifying the victims as two boda boda riders and a pillion, who was identified as Naomi Chitsaka Mwagona, 58, the head teacher at Mashamba Primary School, who was on one of the motorbikes.
“We have three fatalities from the incident, and these are people who were on the roadside,” Ongwae said.
The aircraft, operated by the Kenya Aeronautical College, had taken off from Malindi Airport en route to Wilson Airport in Nairobi when it developed mechanical problems.
On board were a pilot, an instructor, and a student, all of whom escaped with minor injuries and were rushed to Twafiq Hospital in Malindi for treatment.
Police said one of the boda boda riders was burnt beyond recognition when the aircraft exploded and caught fire on impact.
Firefighters from the Kenya Airports Authority and Malindi Municipality, with assistance from locals, extinguished the blaze.
The incident drew a large crowd, causing massive traffic congestion in the area.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is investigating the mechanical failure that led to the crash.
Video footage shared online showed parts of the plane lying on the road as a section of it was on fire, an indication that it burst into flames on impact. Separate images showed nearby makeshift structures had also caught fire, but fire engines arrived and put out the fire. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has launched an investigation into the incident, confirming the aircraft had three people on board who survived and were rushed to the hospital. “Regrettably, there were three fatalities on the ground. Government agencies are already on the site to establish the cause of the accident,” said the KCAA in a press release.
Videos shared online showed debris from the plane strewn across the road, with portions engulfed in flames, suggesting the aircraft ignited upon impact.
Other images showed nearby makeshift structures also ablaze, but firefighters arrived swiftly to contain the fire and prevent further destruction.
