Mt. Kenya Crash 19 July 2003
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Mt. Kenya Crash 19 July 2003
NAIROBI, Kenya –– A twin-engine plane carrying 12 American tourists and two South African crew members en route to a game reserve crashed into Mount Kenya, apparently killing everyone on board, Kenyan officials said Sunday.
The South African-registered Fairchild Metro turboprop slammed into Point Lenana, the mountain's third-highest peak, at 6 p.m. Saturday as a cloudy sky was beginning to clear just before sunset, said Bongo Woodley, senior warden of the Kenya Wildlife Service in the area.
"We heard it immediately, and I have flown over the site and seen the crash, and there do not appear to be any survivors," Woodley said by telephone from the Mount Kenya National Park headquarters in Naro Moru, 75 miles north of Nairobi, the capital.
Woodley said KWS rangers were preparing to trek to the crash site, located at 16,000 feet but that cloudy weather Sunday was complicating things. He said local police were also preparing to make the ascent.
Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano and Africa's second-highest mountain, consists of three peaks: Batian at 17,157 feet; Nelion at 17,120 feet; and Point Lenana at 16,450 feet.
Woodley said he understood that according to a flight plan filed at Nairobi's Wilson Airport there were 14 people on the plane and that most were American tourists.
An official at Wilson Airport, who asked not to be further identified, said the 12 passengers on the aircraft that took off at 3:58 p.m. Saturday en route to the Masai Mara game reserve after a tour around Mount Kenya were all Americans and the two crew members were South Africans.
Isaiya Kabira, President Mwai Kibaki's spokesman, said the passengers were members of three American families but he did not have the names. He said the aircraft had been reported missing late Saturday.
The South African-registered Fairchild Metro turboprop slammed into Point Lenana, the mountain's third-highest peak, at 6 p.m. Saturday as a cloudy sky was beginning to clear just before sunset, said Bongo Woodley, senior warden of the Kenya Wildlife Service in the area.
"We heard it immediately, and I have flown over the site and seen the crash, and there do not appear to be any survivors," Woodley said by telephone from the Mount Kenya National Park headquarters in Naro Moru, 75 miles north of Nairobi, the capital.
Woodley said KWS rangers were preparing to trek to the crash site, located at 16,000 feet but that cloudy weather Sunday was complicating things. He said local police were also preparing to make the ascent.
Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano and Africa's second-highest mountain, consists of three peaks: Batian at 17,157 feet; Nelion at 17,120 feet; and Point Lenana at 16,450 feet.
Woodley said he understood that according to a flight plan filed at Nairobi's Wilson Airport there were 14 people on the plane and that most were American tourists.
An official at Wilson Airport, who asked not to be further identified, said the 12 passengers on the aircraft that took off at 3:58 p.m. Saturday en route to the Masai Mara game reserve after a tour around Mount Kenya were all Americans and the two crew members were South Africans.
Isaiya Kabira, President Mwai Kibaki's spokesman, said the passengers were members of three American families but he did not have the names. He said the aircraft had been reported missing late Saturday.
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None of the press releases have mentioned the company and there's even some confusion about the aircraft with some stories reporting it as a three engine aircraft.
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Not good.
Only two companies from SA flew Metro's,these being Charlan Air and Ryn Blake Air.
Charlan air used to do the run between Lanseria and Mwanza in a Metro.
Ryan Blake Air do charters to any destination in Metro 2's and 3.
More info would be appreciated as soon as it is released.
Only two companies from SA flew Metro's,these being Charlan Air and Ryn Blake Air.
Charlan air used to do the run between Lanseria and Mwanza in a Metro.
Ryan Blake Air do charters to any destination in Metro 2's and 3.
More info would be appreciated as soon as it is released.
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Did they say what A/C it was.
The Merto of Ryan Blake air was on Air 2000 's licence.
The SABC 3 news says Global SA.(Never heard of the company but maybe one of the tax names people use).
Regardless,still not good.
The Merto of Ryan Blake air was on Air 2000 's licence.
The SABC 3 news says Global SA.(Never heard of the company but maybe one of the tax names people use).
Regardless,still not good.
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Subcharter??
I dont think that Air 2000 owned the a/c. As far as I know they've only got a 402. It must have been a subcharter and then I would suppose that it would be from one of the afore mentioned companies i.e. Ryan Blake or Charlan.
It would seem that CFIT could possibly be the cause, but am only speculating and dont want to jump to any conclusions.
Thoughts to the families affected.
st4g
It would seem that CFIT could possibly be the cause, but am only speculating and dont want to jump to any conclusions.
Thoughts to the families affected.
st4g
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Bad bad bad news.
Definitely comfirmed,Ryan Blake Air.
Metro 2 hit the mountain.
I have the names of both pilots,but for obvious reasons will wait for the press release.
All I can say is the Captain was very experienced on the Metro and was ATP rated.
It was/is thought that it happened on the desent.
Condolences to the families of both.
Definitely comfirmed,Ryan Blake Air.
Metro 2 hit the mountain.
I have the names of both pilots,but for obvious reasons will wait for the press release.
All I can say is the Captain was very experienced on the Metro and was ATP rated.
It was/is thought that it happened on the desent.
Condolences to the families of both.
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Condolences to all the families. This is really a great tragedy!!!
Does anybody know what happened and who the crew was?
Does anybody know what happened and who the crew was?
Last edited by Hot Shots; 21st Jul 2003 at 19:16.
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Sad day indeed
It was a Ryan Blake aircraft.
I think we must wait until the official press release is available before we discuse crew names. We are not sure if the families have been notified.
I think we must wait until the official press release is available before we discuse crew names. We are not sure if the families have been notified.
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One of the risks of running more than one thread is information tends to get added to the one you are not following!
In fact, "condolences to their families" hides the major tragedy, all passengers were members of the same "extended" family!
See news item - http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...3/21kenya.html
and also the "other" thread - http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=96766
In fact, "condolences to their families" hides the major tragedy, all passengers were members of the same "extended" family!
See news item - http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...3/21kenya.html
and also the "other" thread - http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=96766
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Condolences to the families and company envolved .. Seems like the crew might be from the Cape or they suspect their families might be in the Cape (holiday) as hey made an appeal on KFM today that the families "can not be traced" ... eischh that is a bad one ..
Mount Kenya National Park, Kenya - Twelve US tourists, members of three families, were killed when their light aircraft got lost and crashed into the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest mountain, officials said on Sunday.
A Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team who trekked up to the crash site said they had seen the bodies of four children and recovered eight US passports.
"All people are dead. It's a real mess. The plane exploded and it is scattered all over the area," Bongo Woodley, senior warden in the Mount Kenya region for the KWS, said.
'All people are dead. It's a real mess'
Saturday's crash also killed the two South African pilots.
The South African-registered plane was flying over the 5 182-metre mountain, 112km north of the Kenyan capital Nairobi when the accident occurred.
The dead tourists were believed to belong to three families, a Kenya Airports Authority official who did not want to be named told Reuters.
"Most likely we have three families on board based on the names which we have," the official said. He said at least five of the dead were women.
Peter Wakahia, chief inspector of accidents with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, told Reuters: "There were two South African pilots and 12 American passengers."
'Police climbers are scaling the mountain'
Wakahia said the aircraft, which had been flying the tourists to Samburu in northern Kenya, appeared to have lost its way. The plane crashed at around 6pm (15h00 GMT) after it had taken off at 4.15pm in Nairobi.
"This is usually a 30-minute flight. The pilot must have been blocked by mist and clouds and got lost before crashing."
KWS's Woodley said the aircraft had hit the third highest point on the mountain.
Efforts to retrieve the bodies were under way, police said.
"Police climbers are scaling the mountain and will probably arrive there early on Monday. A helicopter sent to survey the scene has been hindered by thick cloud cover," said Albert Waweru, a senior police officer in Nyeri town.
The aircraft was registered to the Air 2000 Company of South Africa, the Airports Authority official said.
A Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team who trekked up to the crash site said they had seen the bodies of four children and recovered eight US passports.
"All people are dead. It's a real mess. The plane exploded and it is scattered all over the area," Bongo Woodley, senior warden in the Mount Kenya region for the KWS, said.
'All people are dead. It's a real mess'
Saturday's crash also killed the two South African pilots.
The South African-registered plane was flying over the 5 182-metre mountain, 112km north of the Kenyan capital Nairobi when the accident occurred.
The dead tourists were believed to belong to three families, a Kenya Airports Authority official who did not want to be named told Reuters.
"Most likely we have three families on board based on the names which we have," the official said. He said at least five of the dead were women.
Peter Wakahia, chief inspector of accidents with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, told Reuters: "There were two South African pilots and 12 American passengers."
'Police climbers are scaling the mountain'
Wakahia said the aircraft, which had been flying the tourists to Samburu in northern Kenya, appeared to have lost its way. The plane crashed at around 6pm (15h00 GMT) after it had taken off at 4.15pm in Nairobi.
"This is usually a 30-minute flight. The pilot must have been blocked by mist and clouds and got lost before crashing."
KWS's Woodley said the aircraft had hit the third highest point on the mountain.
Efforts to retrieve the bodies were under way, police said.
"Police climbers are scaling the mountain and will probably arrive there early on Monday. A helicopter sent to survey the scene has been hindered by thick cloud cover," said Albert Waweru, a senior police officer in Nyeri town.
The aircraft was registered to the Air 2000 Company of South Africa, the Airports Authority official said.
Mountain expert Willy Shikuku Ooko prepares to board a Kenyan police helicopter to search for survivors after a plane piloted by two South Africans crashed into Mount Kenya.
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Just heard this afternoon about the crash, condolences to family and all friends and colleagues.
Sad when we loose more of our bretheren.
Was RB crew, they did freight for us for a long time.
Goffel could you mail me the names, I think I might know one of the guys. Cheers
Sad when we loose more of our bretheren.
Was RB crew, they did freight for us for a long time.
Goffel could you mail me the names, I think I might know one of the guys. Cheers
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Kenyan Crash
My condolences to the families of the crews and to the remainder of the families of the passengers. This was a tragedy of note!
What is the reason for the delay in the naming of the crews? I read somewhere on this thread that they are battling to contact their families. Accident on Saturday, now Wednesday! News on the radio yesterday had a clip from the SA Embassy official who also refused to name the crew. Strange!
What is the reason for the delay in the naming of the crews? I read somewhere on this thread that they are battling to contact their families. Accident on Saturday, now Wednesday! News on the radio yesterday had a clip from the SA Embassy official who also refused to name the crew. Strange!
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Sir Cumstances, the "flying industry" knows - well I do - the Waterfront guys know, Gofeel and co .. but I think let us respect the families wishes as laid out in the latest news :
The bodies of the 14 people - including two South African pilots - who were killed in a plane crash in Kenya over the weekend have been discovered, the South African department of foreign affairs said on Tuesday.
The chartered aircraft carrying the two pilots and 12 American tourists to a game reserve in Kenya crashed into Mount Kenya on Saturday, killing everybody on board.
Department of foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said: "According to our High Commissioner in Nairobi, Commissioner Kingsley Makhubela, the bodies of the 14 people have been discovered."
Mamoepa said the South African government expressed its condolences to members of the bereaved families, their friends and colleagues.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this time of bereavement."
Mamoepa said the two pilots were from Johannesburg.
A family friend who did not wish to be named said the families did not want their names to be revealed until the pilots' remains were back in South Africa.
The accident happened just as a cloudy sky was beginning to clear before sunset.
Rangers from the Mount Kenya National Park heard the crash. They found no survivors when they visited the site, but managed to retrieve the passports of some of the passengers.
The chartered aircraft carrying the two pilots and 12 American tourists to a game reserve in Kenya crashed into Mount Kenya on Saturday, killing everybody on board.
Department of foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said: "According to our High Commissioner in Nairobi, Commissioner Kingsley Makhubela, the bodies of the 14 people have been discovered."
Mamoepa said the South African government expressed its condolences to members of the bereaved families, their friends and colleagues.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this time of bereavement."
Mamoepa said the two pilots were from Johannesburg.
A family friend who did not wish to be named said the families did not want their names to be revealed until the pilots' remains were back in South Africa.
The accident happened just as a cloudy sky was beginning to clear before sunset.
Rangers from the Mount Kenya National Park heard the crash. They found no survivors when they visited the site, but managed to retrieve the passports of some of the passengers.