Kenyan authorities reported that a student pilot and instructor lost their lives on Tuesday in a collision between their aircraft and a passenger plane over Nairobi, the country’s capital.
The mid-air incident involved local carrier Safarilink and the 99 Flying training school, according to Kenyan officials.
Nairobi police representative Adamson Bungei confirmed the fatalities to AFP via text message, though no further details were provided.
An earlier police report, as seen by AFP, stated that the passenger plane “requested to turn back for landing” following the collision.
Safarilink issued a statement revealing that the aircraft, carrying 44 individuals, was en route to Diani along the Kenyan coast when it “experienced a loud bang shortly after take-off.”
All passengers and crew onboard the aircraft were unharmed in the accident, the statement added.
“The relevant agencies have been notified and together with Safarilink Aviation are investigating,” the statement continued.
The 99 Flying School confirmed “an incident this morning” during a phone conversation with AFP but declined to elaborate further.
The training institution caters to the needs of the “private, commercial, and airline sectors,” as stated on its website.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has initiated investigations to determine the cause of the collision.
Safarilink operates flights to 18 destinations within Kenya, neighboring Tanzania, and the popular tourist destination of Zanzibar, according to its website.