6 Killed in Air Ambulance Crash Near Nairobi

Mid-Size Jet Crashes in Kiambu County, Killing Passengers and Residents on the Ground

Tone & Political Bias: Center

Why: The report sticks to verified facts from officials and the service provider, with no political undertones or editorializing.

What Happened

A Cessna Citation XLS jet operated by AMREF Flying Doctors crashed Thursday in a residential area of Mwihoko, located in Kiambu County, just outside Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

Death Toll

According to Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula, six people died in the crash:

Four were passengers on the plane
Two were residents inside a house struck by the aircraft

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed it deployed rescue teams to the crash site.

Aircraft Details

The aircraft was a Cessna Citation XLS, a mid-size jet often used for short- to medium-haul flights.
It was operated by AMREF Flying Doctors, a prominent air ambulance service in East Africa.
The plane took off from an airport in Nairobi.
It was en route to Somaliland, a self-declared independent territory in northern Somalia.

Crash Site

The crash occurred in Mwihoko, a densely populated residential area in Kiambu County, which borders Nairobi.
According to local officials, the plane struck at least one house.
Emergency response teams were seen at the scene managing the aftermath.

What Officials And The Company Are Saying

AMREF Flying Doctors released a statement confirming the crash and said they are cooperating fully with aviation authorities and emergency services.
The company has not yet released details on the number of casualties from their side or the potential cause of the crash.
Local officials confirmed the fatality count on the scene.
Earlier reports from the Kenya Red Cross had mistakenly described the aircraft as a helicopter, but this was later corrected.

What We Don’t Know

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The full identity of the victims has not been publicly released.
It’s still unclear if the plane had communicated any mechanical issues before going down.

Context

AMREF Flying Doctors is a well-known medical evacuation and air ambulance service in Africa. It provides emergency and scheduled medical flights across the continent and often handles missions in remote or unstable regions. Cessna Citation XLS jets are commonly used in medical evacuation services due to their size, speed, and ability to land on shorter runways.