A student pilot and instructor were killed on Tuesday after their plane crashed with a passenger airliner over Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, authorities said.
Kenyan officials reported a mid-air incident between local carrier Safarilink and the 99 Flying training school on Tuesday morning.
According to AFP, Nairobi police officer Adamson Bungei confirmed the killings to AFP by text message without providing any other information.
An earlier police report obtained by AFP stated that the passenger plane “requested to turn back for landing” following the crash.
Safarilink said in a statement that the plane, which had 44 people on board, was on its way to Diani near Kenya’s coast when it “heard a loud bang shortly after take-off.”
The crash left everyone passengers and staff on board the airplane unharmed, according to the report.
“The relevant agencies have been notified and together with Safarilink Aviation are investigating,” the statement added.
In a phone call with AFP, 99 Flying School confirmed “an incident this morning” but failed to provide any additional details.
According to its website, the training institution serves the “private, commercial, and airline sectors”.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority stated that investigations were begun to determine the cause of the accident.
Safarilink travels to 18 destinations in Kenya, neighboring Tanzania, including tourist hotspot Zanzibar, according to their website.