No injuries as skydiving aircraft crash-lands at Diani beach

There was panic when an aircraft conducting a skydiving operation made an emergency crash landing at Columbus Beach in Diani, Kwale County, on Saturday afternoon.

There were fears the plane could have plunged into the Indian Ocean, witnesses said.

The witnesses praised the pilot for the heroic action that saved the situation.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 2:50 p.m. on May 2, 2026, involving a Sentient Sky Ltd aircraft, flight number 5Y-MSN.

The aircraft was carrying six including the pilot, a Kenyan national, and five skydivers of different nationalities.

The skydivers were a South Africa, one from the United Kingdom, two Kenyans, and an Australian.

Authorities confirmed that all six individuals were safely rescued following the incident, with no injuries reported.

Police from Moi International Airport and Diani Airstrip responded to the scene and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash landing.

The scene was secured for further investigations, police said. A team of experts visited the scene on Sunday and started investigations into the incident.

Meanwhile, a public service vehicle (PSV) bus was on Saturday morning completely destroyed by fire along the Nairobi–Mombasa highway near Ikoya Trading Centre in Makindu Sub-County, Makueni County.

The incident occurred at around 5:00 a.m. on May 2, 2026, involving a Mercedes-Benz bus,  operating on the Mombasa–Nairobi route.

According to the driver, he noticed flames emerging from the rear left tyres through his side mirror while en route to Nairobi. 

He immediately pulled over to the roadside and alerted the conductor and passengers.

All passengers safely alighted from the bus and managed to salvage their belongings before the fire spread.

Attempts to put out the fire were unsuccessful as it quickly intensified, engulfing the entire vehicle and reducing it to a shell.

No injuries were reported.

Police officers from Makindu Police Station visited the scene.

The remains of the bus were towed as investigations into the cause of the fire continue. This is the latest such incident to happen and affecting long distance buses.

Officials have not revealed the cause of the fire in the past incidents. Passengers usually escape the incidents but they lose their valuables.

Officials said on Monday the incidents are being handled by experts to get a long-term solution.