A small aircraft on a training flight crashed in the Kipeto area of Kajiado County on Friday morning, killing two people on board, police said.
Authorities said the aircraft, which was said to be on a routine instructional flight, went down near a wind power installation in Kipeto after encountering poor visibility caused by heavy morning mist. A preliminary account from police indicates the pilot attempted an emergency landing before the aircraft came down.
Kajiado West Police Commander Maureen Kuto said one of the two occupants, described as a student, died at the scene, while the second, said to be an instructor, succumbed to injuries while being rushed to Kajiado Referral Hospital. “The first victim succumbed at the scene while the second succumbed while being rushed to hospital,” Kuto said, cautioning that the cause remains preliminary pending further investigation.
Security officers and emergency responders were deployed to the crash site shortly after the alarm was raised, and the wreckage was cordoned off as investigators began piecing together the sequence of events. Aviation safety officials are expected to join the investigation to establish the precise cause of the crash, with early indications pointing to reduced visibility as a contributing factor rather than mechanical failure, though this has not been conclusively confirmed.
The Kipeto area, known for hosting one of the country’s major wind energy projects, has in the past been used for light aircraft training and survey flights owing to its relatively open terrain. Friday’s incident is likely to renew scrutiny of training flight protocols in areas prone to sudden weather changes, particularly the morning mist common in parts of Kajiado during this time of year.
No further details on the identities of the victims had been released by the time of publication, with police saying next of kin were still being notified. Investigators say a full report into the crash will follow once wreckage analysis and witness accounts have been reviewed.
The incident adds to a string of recent light aircraft accidents reported in the country, reviving calls from aviation stakeholders for tighter weather-related flight advisories, particularly for training schools operating in areas with variable visibility conditions.