Six dead In AMREF Air ambulance Plane crash in Mwihoko, Kiambu County
On Thursday afternoon, August 7, 2025, tragedy struck in Mwihoko, a residential neighborhood in Ruiru, Kiambu County, when an AMREF Flying Doctors Cessna Citation XLS (registration 5Y-FDM) crashed shortly after takeoff from Wilson Airport and went down into a house. The aircraft was bound for Hargeisa, Somaliland, carrying two doctors and two nurses among the four onboard. All four medical personnel perished in the crash, along with two residents inside the home struck by the jet, while at least two others on the ground sustained injuries.
Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed the fatalities, describing the victims as two doctors and two nurses aboard the plane, as well as two individuals inside the impacted house. AMREF Flying Doctors CEO Stephen Gitau stated the aircraft departed Wilson Airport at approximately 2:17 p.m. local time en route to Hargeisa and emphasized that the organization is fully cooperating with aviation authorities and emergency responders to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Witnesses described chaos as the aircraft lost radio and radar contact with air traffic control just three minutes after takeoff and burst into flames on impact, engulfing the residential building. Rescue operations commenced immediately, with Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, and Kenya Red Cross teams arriving swiftly to coordinate recovery efforts at the cordoned-off scene.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and AMREF remain at the forefront of the ensuing investigation, which will include technical examination of the aircraft, review of flight data—if retrievable—and scrutiny of maintenance and operational records. Official statements have signaled that supporting affected families, treating the injured, and identifying victims are top priorities as the probe unfolds.
This heartbreaking incident highlights the perils inherent to medical evacuation operations, amplifies safety concerns around air ambulance services, and underscores the need for transparency and accountability in handling such emergencies.
