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An aircraft has reportedly crashed into a residential building in the Mwihoko area of Githurai, Kiambu County, sparking panic among residents and emergency response efforts.
According to eyewitnesses, the small aircraft went down at around 3:00 PM, hitting the upper floors of a multi-storey residential flat before coming to a halt.
Aircraft crashes into a residential building in Mwihoko
Thick plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the scene as residents scrambled to rescue those trapped inside.
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It is not yet clear how many people were on board or the number of casualties.
Emergency teams from the Kenya Red Cross, police, and firefighters have since arrived at the scene and are coordinating rescue and evacuation efforts. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is also expected to issue an official statement shortly.
Watch videos of the scenes below
Aircraft crashes into a residential building in Mwihoko
Aircraft crashes into residential building in Mwihoko
In an official statement released Thursday afternoon, AMREF confirmed that the aircraft involved was a Cessna Citation XLS, with registration 5Y-FDM.
The jet had departed from Wilson Airport at 2:17 pm en route to Hargeisa, Somalia, before it went down under unclear circumstances in Mwihoko.
“At this time, we are cooperating fully with relevant aviation authorities and emergency response teams to establish the facts surrounding the situation,” read the statement signed by Stephen Gitau, CEO at AMREF Flying Doctors.
While the exact number of fatalities has not yet been disclosed, AMREF confirmed that there were deaths and assured the public that efforts are underway to support affected families and colleagues.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and other relevant agencies are expected to release more information as the investigation unfolds.