More details have emerged regarding a Fly540 aircraft that left Kitale town on Tuesday afternoon, for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), but mysteriously disappeared.
According to reports, the Cessna 5Y-CAC C208 lost radar contact at 4 pm on Tuesday with 2 crew and 8 passengers on board.
In a statement, The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) acknowledged that the aircraft had been reported missing, adding that search operation had already commenced.
"We confirm that we have reports of a missing flight Reg. 5YCAC from Kitale to Nairobi JKIA, Operated by Fly Sax. The flight was last seen on radar at 14:02 this afternoon at 40 nautical miles from Nairobi, flying at 11,000ft above sea level.
"Search and rescue teams from AAID, KCAA, KWS and other agencies were activated immediately No results at this evening. They have paused the search tonight and shall resume at first light tomorrow morning. We shall update you regularly in the course of tomorrow as this develops." said KCAA.
On Wednesday morning, the Kenya Wildlife Services reported that it had located signals of the Fly 540 aircraft.
Reports from KWS said the signals indicate the light machine is around Kinangop, Aberdares in Nyandarua County.
Kenya Wildlife Services assistant director in charge of Mountain Areas Simon Gitau confirmed the reports to a local daily.
The search mission, however, suffered a major blow a few hours ago after a Kenya Red Cross vehicle carrying a team headed to join the search for missing plane collided head-on with a lorry.
The Red Cross ambulance that was involved in the crash at Kariamu area near Ol Kalou town on June 6, 2018. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Three Kenya Red Cross officials sustained serious injuries from the accident and were rushed to JM Memorial Hospital, Ol Kalou.