Families of victims who perished in Tuesday’s plane crash in the Aberdares are accusing the airline and government officials of keeping them in the dark.
The families were called in for counseling but said there was no forthcoming information even as the search and rescue continued, mainly concentrated in the Kinangop area.
The plane belonging to FlySax and operated by East African Safari Air Express was destined for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi from Kitale when it went missing.
It was carrying eight passengers and two crew members. Aviation officials say it went off the radar shortly after 5 pm Tuesday and the public is being urged to volunteer any information they may have on the sighting of the aircraft.
Bad weather hampered the search and rescue operations. According to the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU), a National Police Service helicopter was scouring the area around the Aberdares Forest or Ndakaini where the search is concentrated, but there was poor visibility.
“Weather is a challenge to the ongoing search & rescue operation, a National Police chopper is already up in the sky but weather condition is the problem.
Following the missing aircraft, National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) appeals to Members of the public to volunteer information which may lead to quick rescue and recovery,” the organization’s Deputy Director Pius Masai stated.
A statement from the airline indicated that they were in the process of contacting relatives of those who were on board, with counseling centers already set up.