Two Kenya Air Force officers tragically lost their lives this afternoon after their training aircraft crashed in the Ndavaya area of Kinango, Kwale County.
According to Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde, the military aircraft—a Grob 120A light trainer—went down at approximately 12:06 pm, just minutes after it was last seen over Diani. The aircraft had departed Moi Air Base, Mombasa, at 11:39 am, before reportedly experiencing an in-flight emergency.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft nosedive and crash near Mwakijembe Primary School, sending shockwaves through the quiet rural community. Emergency response teams from the Kenya Defence Forces were quickly deployed to secure the area and initiate recovery operations.
“Sadly, both officers on board were fatally injured. There were no civilian casualties,” Commissioner Orinde confirmed in a press briefing.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has acknowledged the incident, noting that the aircraft was on a routine training mission and that investigations into the cause of the crash are already underway.
This latest tragedy adds to a troubling pattern of military aviation incidents in Kenya. It comes just over a year after the death of Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla in a similar crash, raising renewed concerns over fleet safety and pilot training protocols.
The identities of the fallen officers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Meanwhile, a Board of Inquiry is expected to comb through the aircraft’s maintenance logs, flight path data, and last communications to determine what led to the fatal descent.
“We assure the public that a full investigation will be carried out, and necessary corrective measures will be taken,” a senior KDF spokesperson stated.
The Grob 120A is commonly used for basic flight training by the Kenya Air Force and is generally considered reliable. However, following this incident, temporary grounding of similar aircraft may be considered as a precaution.
