NYANDARUA: Search for lost plane extended to Nyandarua

The search for an aircraft that is suspected to have disappeared in Murang’a is still ongoing.

Three Swiss, a pilot and two passengers, are said to have been on board the light wing air aircraft reported to have gone missing mid-air in Kahuro area Thursday at 4:55 pm.

According to the police, the search has now been extended to Kipipiri in Nyandarua County.

Central police boss Larry Kieng said the operation was extended there following latest information from satellite.

While addressing the press on Saturday evening in Kagongo area on the slopes of Aberdare Forest where the search team was carrying out the operation, he said the pilot’s mobile phone number had been traced some several kilometres from Naivasha.

“Information from satellite indicate the pilot mobile phone signal has been traced 30 kilometres from Naivasha and that is why we have extended the search to,” Kipipiri said Mr Kieng.

Police officers from Murang’a spent Friday and Saturday combing thickets on the slopes of the Aberdares in search of the plane after reports of disappearance from the radar were reported on Thursday evening.

The plane was destined to Wilson Airport Nairobi from one of the ranches in Laikipia County with the pilot and two passengers on board said to be Swiss Nationals.

Flight records showed the plane went off the radar at around Gitiri area in Kahuro and by the time of filing the story, details of the lost plane were scanty.

According to Kahuro Deputy Commissioner Fred Muli, a search was immediately mounted soon after the reports of the disappearance were reported.

“We received information that the missing plane had three people on board and efforts to reach them have been futile,” said the DC.

But he said there were no traces of the missing plane or its body parts in the area but said the search was on.

Also involved in the search of the missing aeroplane are forest rangers manning the Aberdares Ranges, which spreads in Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties.

Another team also launched a hunt on Saturday inside Karurumo forest in Kangema, a very foggy area.

Murang’a County Police Commander Ms Naomi Ichami said police officers in the upper areas of the county were on high alert searching for the missing aircraft.