Four dead in Fokker plane crash

By Maxime Zech on July 2, 2014 - 14:13
Fokker
. (The Fokker 50 crashed into a commercial building in Nairobi. Source: Twitter/@tuxboard)

A Dutch-manufactured cargo plane crashed into a building in Kenya's capital, Nairobi early Wednesday morning. According to Reuters, all four passengers including pilot and co-pilot, were killed in the crash.

The Fokker 50, bound for Mogadishu, Somalia, crashed into a commercial building shortly after takeoff from an airport in Nairobi.

The aircraft was built by Dutch company Fokker, and is owned by the regional airline Skyward International, CNN reports. According to eTN, the airline operates from Nairobi's Wilson Airport.

The plane burst into flames on impact. Benson Kibui, police commander in Nairobi, confirms that the plane's pilot, copilot, flight engineer and a loader were killed. Two people on the ground were also injured, Elsevier reports.

Three bodies were recovered, authorities in Kenya are still looking for the other bodies and possibly more victims.

According to Reuters, the cargo plane was transporting Khat, locally known as Miraa, a leafy plant chewed as a stimulant. The plant is considered a drug and is banned in many countries across the globe. Chewing the plant is a local ancient tradition in much of East Africa.

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