KCAA confirms recovery of black box from Mwihoko aircraft crash

A black box is a device that records flight data and cockpit audio to help determine the cause of a crash.

by FELIX KIPKEMOI

News08 August 2025 - 17:46

In Summary

Air Accident Investigation Director Fred Kabunge announced that the crucial flight data recorder had been successfully retrieved.
This comes after a frantic search by authorities who earlier appealed to residents to return the device, believed to have been taken from the wreckage by onlookers shortly after the crash.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has confirmed the recovery of the black box from the aircraft that crashed on Thursday, near Mwihoko Secondary School in Utawala, Nairobi.

Air Accident Investigation Director Fred Kabunge, while addressing the press in Mwihoko, announced that the crucial flight data recorder had been successfully retrieved.

This comes after a frantic search by authorities who earlier appealed to residents to return the device, believed to have been taken from the wreckage by onlookers shortly after the crash.

The box contains crucial flight data needed by investigators.

“The box is important for understanding what exactly happened that led to the crash. We are appealing to whoever has it to return it immediately," an official at the scene had earlier said.

The light aircraft that crashed on August 7, identified as a Cessna Citation 560, was said to be heading to Somalia.

Authorities had stressed that withholding the box could hinder the investigation into the cause of the accident, as they called for cooperation from residents.

Mwihoko residents were also informed that tampering with the missing box or withholding crash evidence is against the law and could lead to prosecution.

“We understand that people were curious and shocked, but this box belongs in the hands of experts,” one of the officials reiterated.

The aircraft’s crash in the residential area sparked concern among locals, while no official cause has been released.

Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft had two crew members and two medics on board.

Footage from the scene showed the aircraft engulfed in flames as onlookers gathered at a distance.

Emergency responders, including military personnel and police, quickly arrived at the crash site to secure the area and hold back the crowd.

The incident that occurred near a military base prompted a swift response from nearby officers.

Githurai 45 Sub-county Police Commander Maurice Odanga confirmed the incident, saying that aviation and security experts were atthe scene to investigate.