Dr. Athman Lugogo and pilot Esther Njeri Kamande died in a crash at Vuria Hill. The flight school stated the trip was unauthorized and the passenger was not approved to be on board.
Dr. Athman Lugogo and pilot Esther Njeri Kamande tragically lost their lives in a plane crash at Vuria Hill, Taita Taveta County, in May 2021, marking a somber moment for Kenya’s medical and aviation communities.
A Kenyan doctor and flight instructor died in a crash during an unauthorised flight over Taita Hills, prompting investigations by KCAA and aviation authorities
Taita-Taveta County, Kenya – May 18, 2025 A senior medical doctor from Makueni County Referral Hospital and a Kenya Airports Authority flight instructor tragically lost their lives in a light aircraft crash on Sunday morning, after the plane crashed into the rugged Vuria Hills in Taita-Taveta County.
The victims were identified as:
Dr. Athman Lugogo, a respected physician in the public health sector, and
Esther Njeri Kamande, a qualified flight instructor and KAA employee.
According to preliminary reports from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the flight was unauthorized and did not appear in official air traffic control records. KCAA is investigating how the non-commercial flight took off without proper flight plan submission, pilot clearance, or passenger manifest logging.
“The aircraft had no recorded clearance from any airport tower, and its flight path was not logged in official registers,” said a senior KCAA official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The incident raises renewed concerns about Kenya’s general aviation safety, especially in remote counties.
Rescue operations began after residents of Wundanyi Sub-County reported an explosion-like sound from the Vuria escarpment. Wreckage was discovered hours later by a joint team of police, local volunteers, and the Kenya Red Cross.
Among the debris, search teams recovered:
A Kenya Airports Authority staff ID belonging to Esther Kamande, and
A Makueni County Government ID confirming the identity of Dr. Athman Lugogo.
Aviation police based in Wilson Airport have since joined the forensic investigation to determine the aircraft’s make, registration number, and mechanical condition before the crash.
The death of Dr. Lugogo, who served in Makueni’s Level 5 Referral Hospital, has dealt a blow to a county already facing a shortage of skilled medical practitioners. He was widely regarded as a “pillar” in the local healthcare network.
“Dr. Lugogo was not only a doctor; he was a mentor, a friend, and a compassionate leader in patient care,” said Makueni Health CEC Dr. Judith Mulwa.
The Ministry of Roads and Transport, through the Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID), has dispatched a technical team to:
Analyze aircraft mechanical integrity
Crosscheck Kamande’s flight license validity
Determine flight purpose and origin
Audit KAA’s internal authorization protocols
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has also been asked to look into whether the aircraft had any suspicious cargo or was involved in unsanctioned operations.
