A devastating plane crash near Malindi Airport in coastal Kenya on Friday claimed the lives of three people and left significant destruction in its wake, according to local authorities.
The light aircraft crash-landed in the Kwachocha neighborhood along the bustling Malindi-Mombasa highway, just meters away from the airport. Witnesses described a horrifying scene as the plane struck bystanders and burst into flames upon impact.
Salim Mwayaya, a local resident who witnessed the crash, recounted the incident: “We were on our way to Malindi when we saw the plane crash. The wing hit a woman who was on a bike and severed her head. 
The plane then caught fire, and the pilots jumped out and were taken to the hospital alive. That is all I saw.”
Authorities confirmed that the victims included a motorcycle taxi rider who was burned to death and two others who were struck by debris from the disintegrating aircraft.
The tragic event has reignited concerns over safety measures near the airport. Rashid Odhiambo, a Member of the County Assembly, stressed the need for stricter precautions:
“This crashed plane is not a commercial plane, so we can say it is an accident that has happened because any accident can happen anywhere. But what I am saying is that safety precautions have to be taken along the airport, especially on this road which is next to the airport.”
The Kwachocha neighborhood, where the crash occurred, has been embroiled in a legal dispute over plans to expand Malindi Airport. Local residents have contested the government’s proposal to extend the airport boundaries, citing unresolved land compensation issues.
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