Mwihoko Plane Crash: Authorities Hunt for Black Box Believed to Have Been Taken by Locals
- Authorities say crucial components of the crashed AMREF jet, including its black box, are missing and may have been taken by locals
- The Kiambu assistant county commissioner urged residents to return the items, offering a reward and appealing to scrap dealers for cooperation
- Six people died when the AMREF medical aircraft exploded mid-air and crashed into homes in Mwihoko, Kiambu county
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Authorities in Kiambu county have raised an alarm over the disappearance of vital parts from the AMREF medical jet that crashed in Mwihoko.
Source: Facebook
This includes its black box, which is essential for understanding the cause of the tragedy.
Investigators believe some locals may have taken away the missing components in the chaos following the incident, prompting urgent appeals for their return.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
Did Mwihoko residents steal AMREF plane blackbox?
Addressing residents on the night of the crash, assistant county commissioner Charity stressed the importance of recovering the parts, revealing that only one section of the black box had been retrieved.
“There is one key item of the plane that went missing. We recovered only one part. If there is someone holding the other part in his house, I plead with you, come and tell me so that we go for it. Because we cannot sleep without getting it,” she said.
She also urged anyone who might have sold the items to scrap dealers to help trace them, adding that authorities are willing to offer a reward for their return.
The black box is crucial as it records flight data and cockpit conversations, helping investigators determine the exact cause of an aircraft crash.
Her plea was met with a mix of concern and levity when a group of youths joked that they would need one million shillings to hand over the missing component.
Mwihoko locals thanked for offering emergency help
Charity thanked the local community for their help throughout the day, particularly boda boda riders who assisted in rescue and recovery efforts.
“We have been here all day, and we are grateful for your help, especially the local boda boda riders. As of now, the work has come to an end, and all victims we believe have been retrieved,” she said.
She went on to ask the crowd to disperse so that investigations could proceed and victims’ families could be given the privacy and support they needed.
“We are now releasing the emergency responders to go back and serve other people. We want to release you also to go to your houses so that we only remain with the victims’ families, members of the Red Cross, and other essential staff,” she added.
Despite her requests, the crowd was hesitant to leave, pressing for official casualty figures. She explained that the numbers would be confirmed and announced the following day.
Details of the plane that crashed in Mwihoko
The appeals came just hours after the Cessna Citation XLS jet, registration 5Y-FDM, crashed into the residential area.
The aircraft had taken off from Wilson Airport, bound for Hargeisa, Somalia.
Shortly after departure, it lost communication with the control tower and, according to eyewitnesses, appeared to suffer technical problems before exploding mid-air.
The jet clipped rooftops before smashing into houses, killing people inside one of the homes in addition to the four on board.
Source: Youtube
How many people died in the Mwihoko plane crash?
The impact tore the aircraft apart, scattering twisted metal, debris, and human remains across the area.
Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed that six people had died.
AMREF Flying Doctors CEO Stephen Gitau said the organisation was cooperating fully with authorities to determine the cause of the crash.
He described the tragic accident as "strange" after the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed that the plane lost contact with the radar and radio communication barely three minutes after takeoff.
The aircraft was heading to Somalia to respond to an emergency when it crashed, killing 4 medics and two civilians on the spot.
Other victims are still recovering in the hospital in Nairobi.
Kiambu County government is working with AMREF to offer counselling to the family members of the victims and their colleagues at work.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
