2 people died after a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) plane crashed in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, a few minutes after takeoff from the Nanyuki Civil Airport.
KWS, on Thursday evening, February 11, said that the aircraft developed complications after taking off. The two-seater plane was a Husky aircraft, registration number 5Y-KWL.
The agency, however, did not detail the cause of the crash. It said that it commenced investigations and a detailed report will be availed soon.
"The aircraft IS under the National Air Support Department.
"The pilot had just completed a routine patrol at Solio Rhino Sanctuary and was travelling to Meru National Park,” a statement by the agency read.
KWS staff and a rescue team rushed to the scene for an evacuation operation and also ferried the bodies to a nearby morgue.
In December 2020, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) took charge of planes owned by KWS, the National Police Service (NPS), the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Power, Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited. The Air Force was tasked with maintaining the planes in an order issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Insiders disclosed that the President believed the military were better suited at handling security matters. Prior to the order, the KWS was the only parastatal in the country licensed by Kenya Civil Aviation to maintain aircraft from both public and private sector.
It offered security and patrol flights, veterinary support services for research and translocation purposes, animal tracking, wildlife census, firefighting, rescue work, and transportation of rations and supplies, including ammunition.
The military took over the Kenya Revenue Authority hangar at Wilson Airport where it will run all private and government-owned planes. All military personnel serving as pilots or technicians in the affected agencies were promoted to the next rank under the directive.
"KRA does not have planes but had a hangar at the airport which was occupied by other private planes. The military took over the hangar and it is now being used as the new base for their operations and in running the new outfit,” sources said.
They added that the National Police had plans to purchase at 10.5 billion and also wanted to recruit the new personnel.
