Nairobi-bound light aircraft missing

A Fly540-managed Cesna C208 light aircraft has gone missing.

The aircraft registration number 5Y-CAC from Kitale, lost contact with control tower at 5 pm Tuesday in the Aberdares, 60 kilometres from its destination.

The plane, which was heading to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, left Kitale, shortly after 4 pm with eight passengers and two crew members on board and was expected in Nairobi about an hour later.

 “We confirm that we have reports of a missing plane, registered 5Y-CAC from Kitale to Nairobi, JKIA, operated by FlySax,” read part of the statement issued by Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) director-general, Gilbert Kibe.

SEARCH SUSPENDED

The statement further indicated that search operations, which had been ongoing, had been suspended and would resume early Wednesday morning.

This is partly attributed to bad weather and darkness, which hampers both aerial visibility and mobility of the search teams.

The missing 12-passenger plane is operated by East Africa Safari Air Express, a subsidiary of Fly540.

LOCATE AIRCRAFT

A statement from the airline acknowledged their aircraft was indeed missing but combined efforts from KCAA, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and the Air Accident Investigation Division of Kenya (AAID), had been going on to locate the aircraft.

“Relatives and next of kin can convene at Weston Hotel for more information,” read part of the statement issued by the airline.