
A routine training mission turned into a national tragedy on Saturday, June 14, when a Kenya Air Force aircraft plummeted to the ground in Kwale County, killing both pilots on board.
Authorities have confirmed the grim news. Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde revealed that the crash occurred in Ndavaya, Kinango area, sending shockwaves across the country. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) later issued a guarded statement acknowledging the incident but stopped short of confirming the fatalities, despite admitting that two officers were aboard the doomed aircraft.
“Today, June 14, 2025, a Kenya Air Force Grob 120A aircraft encountered an emergency during a training flight near Mwakijembe Primary School in Ndavaya, Kwale County. Two pilots were on board. Recovery operations are ongoing,” KDF stated.
According to aviation data, the aircraft departed from Mombasa at 11:39 AM and vanished from radar near Diani shortly before 12:06 PM — just 27 minutes into the flight. The plane’s twisted remains were later discovered in an open field frequently used for military training drills.
Grisly images captured by wamuzinews.co.ke showed the aircraft torn apart. The front half, including the cockpit, was completely destroyed — a possible sign that the plane nose-dived. Only mangled seats were left in the gutted nose. In contrast, the rear portion of the aircraft appeared largely untouched, still bearing military markings.

No civilian casualties were reported, but the crash site quickly drew curious locals, who watched in silence as emergency responders sealed off the area and launched search and recovery operations.
This devastating accident raises urgent questions about the safety of Kenya’s military training programs, with the nation mourning yet another loss in the skies. The full cause of the crash remains under investigation as military authorities work to uncover what went fatally wrong.