A student pilot and a flight instructor were killed on Friday when a small aircraft crashed during a training flight in southern Kenya, police said.
The aircraft crashed near wind turbines in Kipeto, a hilly area of Kajiado County, southwest of Nairobi, according to Kajiado West police commander Maureen Kuto. The identities of the two victims had not been immediately released.
Images from the crash site showed the aircraft shattered into several large sections scattered across a dry field. Red-and-white tape was used to cordon off the area as personnel in reflective jackets worked around the wreckage.
Dozens of uniformed schoolchildren also gathered near the crash site to witness the aftermath.
“We are really shocked because this crash happened next to the school,” said Duncan Akaranga, a resident whose child attends a school in the area.
Akaranga said the area is home to several schools with many students, raising concerns that the crash could have resulted in a much greater tragedy.
Witnesses interviewed by The Associated Press said heavy morning mist had reduced visibility in the area around the time of the crash.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the possible role of the poor visibility.
