NAIROBI, Kenya – A Kenya Air Force aircraft crashed in the coastal region of Kwale County on Friday, killing both pilots on board and prompting the government to launch a full military investigation into the cause of the fatal incident.
The crash occurred during what officials described as a routine training mission. Eyewitnesses in the rural area of Kinango Sub-County reported hearing a loud explosion before seeing plumes of smoke rising from a forested area near the scene.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Soipan Tuya, expressed deep sorrow over the loss in a public statement, calling the incident “a tragic reminder of the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make in service to the nation.”
The identities of the two pilots have not been released pending notification of next of kin. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said a board of inquiry has been constituted to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Preliminary findings are expected within the coming weeks.
“The KDF mourns our gallant officers and stands in solidarity with their families,” the military said in a statement.
The crash marks the latest in a series of aviation incidents involving the Kenyan military, renewing concerns about the safety of aging aircraft in the country’s defense fleet.
In recent years, several crashes have raised scrutiny over the airworthiness of military equipment and the adequacy of maintenance protocols.
Security analysts say the military has faced increasing operational pressures in recent years due to counterinsurgency missions along the Somali border and heightened regional security dynamics in the Horn of Africa.
As investigators comb the wreckage for clues, authorities have cordoned off the area and urged residents to stay away from the crash site.
© All East Africa
