![KTN screen grab of the crash site]()
The crash site is in the hills, which is hampering
rescue efforts |
A
Kenyan aircraft carrying prominent politicians has crashed in the north of
the country killing at least 14 people.
Two assistant ministers and the deputy leader of the main opposition
were among those killed when the plane crashed into a hill in heavy rain.
Four passengers were rescued from the crash site, near the town of
Marsabit, and have been taken to hospital in the capital, Nairobi, where
one later died.
Witnesses report seeing burnt bodies scattered among the wreckage.
Rescuers hampered
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has expressed "shock and disbelief" at the
disaster and declared three days of national mourning.
Two assistant
ministers from his administration, Mirugi Kariuki and Titus Ngoyoni, are
among the dead.
Bonaya Godana, the deputy leader of Kenya's main opposition party,
Kanu, and two other members of parliament also died.
They were among a delegation that were travelling to a regional peace
conference when their military plane crashed into a hill as it approached
the town of Marsabit, 450 km (280 miles) north-east of Nairobi.
"People have been burned beyond recognition," said Caleb Kilande, a Red
Cross official at the scene of the crash.
"I can see their bodies are still lying [there] because for now we
don't have gloves and body bags," she said.
A Marsabit official, Mutua Iringu, told Kenya Television Network there
was "no way" anyone but the four rescued passengers could have survived a
blaze that broke out in the wrecked aircraft.
The BBC's Josphat Makori in Nairobi says the rescue effort has been
hampered because the roads up to the crash site is in the hills are very
slippery.
Poor visibility due to heavy rain is being blamed for the crash.
'Worst tragedy'
The politicians were travelling to the region to mediate in a bloody
feud between rival communities near the border with Ethiopia.
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NAMES OF POLITICIANS KILLED
MP Mirugi Kariuki, assistant minister
internal security
MP Titus Ngoyoni, assistant minister regional
development
MP Bonaya Godana, deputy leader official
opposition
MP Abdi Sasura
MP Guracha Galgallo
Abdullahi Adan , MP in the East African
parliament
Peter King'ola, Moyale district
commissioner
Source: Kenya State
House |
"It is unfortunate that this tragedy has occurred when the peace
delegation was on its way for a crucial meeting of bringing peace and
harmony among the communities living in the region," President Kibaki said
in a national address.
The speaker of the Kenyan parliament, Francis Ole Kaparo, described the
accident as the worst tragedy to hit the national assembly.
He paid tribute to his colleagues and said that parliament would be
suspended until the funerals had taken place.
Our correspondent says this is not the first plane crash involving
government officials.
Three years ago, a plane carrying four ministers and several MPs
crashed, killing one minister.
A commission of inquiry into that incident recommended that government
officials should not travel together in one plane, he says.
The three survivors - the Eastern Province's provincial commisioner and
two Kenyan Airforce crew members - are reported to be stable in hospital.
