Plane crash in Kenya leaves 5 dead

Kenyan police on Wednesday confirmed the death of all five passengers on board a light aircraft that crashed in Kericho County, located in the Western part of the country.

National Police Airwing Commander Rodgers Mbithi told locale media portal, the Nation that the five occupants of the Cesna 206-5-Y BSE including three men and two women had perished.

Edward Mwamburi, the police chief for the Rift Valley region said the Cessna plane was heading from the famed Maasai Mara to Lodwar, near Lake Turkana, which is also popular with tourists.

“There was a Kenyan pilot on board and four foreign nationals,” said James Mugera, commander with the Kericho police.

Pictures of the wreckage from a farm in the Masaita Forest View Village, were shared on social media.

Cessna 5Y BSE that crashed in Londiani Kericho killing the pilot and 4 passengers. pic.twitter.com/MWXE86QWV8

— Puff ™?? (@onlyaterics) 13 février 2019

PLANE CRASH IN LONDIANI, KERICHO
Safarilink wishes to sympathize with the victims and families of today's plane crash in Makutano Forest Londiani, Kericho County. We wish to clarify that the Aircraft does NOT belong to Safarilink as stated by Nation Media. pic.twitter.com/UmkaslEycj

— Fly Safarilink (@Flysafarilink) 13 février 2019

Police say they have commenced investigations to establish the cause of the crash.

Last year, another Cesna plane, operated by local firm FlySax crashed into the mountain, killing all ten occupants.

Local air travel has grown in recent years as the economy has expanded and national flag carrier Kenya Airways launched a low-cost domestic carrier called JamboJet in 2014.