On Tuesday, tragedy struck as a student pilot and instructor lost their lives in Nairobi, Kenya, when their aircraft collided with a passenger plane belonging to local carrier Safarilink.
The incident occurred in mid-air over the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, during the morning hours.
Nairobi police spokesperson Adamson Bungei confirmed the fatalities to AFP via text message, though no further details were provided initially.
An earlier police report obtained by AFP indicated that the passenger plane involved in the collision had requested to return for landing after the incident.
According to Safarilink, the aircraft, carrying 44 passengers, was en route to Diani along the Kenyan coast when it experienced a “loud bang” shortly after takeoff.
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Fortunately, all passengers and crew on board the Safarilink plane were unharmed.
Safarilink stated that relevant authorities had been notified, and investigations, in collaboration with Safarilink Aviation, were underway to determine the cause of the collision.
The 99 Flying School, involved in the incident, confirmed the occurrence but declined to provide further details.
The school caters to various sectors including private, commercial, and airline, according to its website.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has commenced investigations to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Safarilink, which operates flights to 18 destinations in Kenya, neighboring Tanzania, and the popular tourist spot Zanzibar, expressed readiness to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigations.
