Kenya Air Force Harbin Y12 crash

All four occupants of a Kenya Air Force (KAF) Harbin Y12 died after the Chinese built transporter crashed in Voi, Taita Taveta County (Kenya), on 12 January 2021. The Y12 had departed Moi Air Base, Eastleigh, Nairobi, earlier in the day, and it is still not clear what caused the accident that took place at mid-morning.

Rescue teams, including the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Kenya Police, arrived at the scene shortly after the crash and were proceeding with the rescue mission.

All of the Kenya Air Force Y12s are part of the Air Support Squadron, which is based at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta Air Base. For the moment we do not know which serial was involved. The squadron is using the Y12 and Y12-II, and some dozen were delivered in the last couple of years. The KAF is plagued with Y12 crashes as on 10 april 2006, 12 May 2014 and more recent 4 August 2020, Y12s were written off in crashes. It is not clear how many of these little Chinese transporters are still active within the KAF.

Photo (just illustrative for the type): Scramble Kenya OrBat & The Star