Kenya launches probe as plane crash-lands in coastal region

Kenya's civil aviation authority has launched investigations into the recent cases of air accidents in the country as another light aircraft crash-landed in the coastal region on Thursday.

A flight instructor and her student from Kenya School of Flying survived a crash in Malindi Thursday after their training plane crash-landed. The plane had taken off from the local airport for training sessions before it crashed at the Malanga Primary school grounds.

Malindi Airport manager Walter Agong said the plane may have developed mechanical problems before crash landing and that the instructor and her student had slight injuries. They have been taken to hospital.

"It was a training flight (5Y- GSM) and it had just left the airport with two occupants on board. From what we have got, it was a crash-landing," Agong said.

Local government official Hesbone Mzaro said the plane crashed after developing mechanical problems. He said it wobbled in the air before landing at the school's compound.

Witnesses said the plane damaged its front landing gear.

Questions have been raised following several incidents recently in parts of Kenya, including the capital Nairobi and Naivasha in northwest Kenya.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said Thursday a total of four aircraft accidents had recently occurred in the Kenyan airspace which have resulted in one fatality.

It said the planes involved in the accidents in the last three weeks include two choppers belonging to police and two Cessna planes belonging a flying club.

The authority said it was concerned about these accidents and probes were underway. Enditem