Emotions run high as FlySax crash victim is buried
Ms Magdalene Wanjiru Kinyua reads tribute during the burial of her husband George Kinyua Ngugi on June 15, 2018. Mr Kinyua died in the FlySax plane crash in the Aberdares in Njabini, Nyandarua. PHOTO |JOHN NJOROGE| NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The wreckage of the plane and the bodies of the victims were retrieved on June 9 at the peak of the Aberdares.
- Mr Kinyua, a businessman in the construction sector, and had travelled to Kitale on a business trip on the fateful day.
- He is survived by one wife and three children aged nine 9 months, four and nine years respectively.
Emotions ran high on Friday during the burial of one of the victims of the Aberdares FlySax plane crash that claimed ten lives last week.
Hundreds of friends and relatives of businessman George Kinyua, 38, gathered at the family’s farm at Bagaria area in Njoro, akuru County to lay his body to rest.
Mr Kinyua perished alongside Captain Barbra Wangeci Kamau, First Officer Jean Mureithi and seven passengers — Ahmed Ali Abdi, Karaba Sailah Waweru Muiga, Khetia Kishani, Matakasakaraia Thamani, Matakatekei Paula, Pinuertorn Ronald and Wafula Robinson.
The aircraft, registration number 5Y-CAC, operated by Fly Sax, left Kitale airstrip in Trans-Nzoia County for Nairobi at 4.05pm on Tuesday June 5, but lost contact with the control tower at around 5.20pm before it went missing.
The wreckage of the plane and the bodies of the victims were retrieved on June 9 at the peak of the Aberdares.
Mr Kinyua, a father of three, was a businessman in the construction sector and had travelled to Kitale on a business trip on the fateful day.
Born in 1980, he held a Bachelor of Commerce from KCA University, Diploma in Accountancy and Business studies from Mwangaza School in Nakuru.
He worked at Pekaki Buildings and Construction Limited and Matigari General Merchants before he ventured into the construction business.
He was the director of GK investments and Makutano contractors until his death.
On the fateful day, he was in direct contact with his wife before he boarded the plane and had promised to call her at around 5pm after landing in Nairobi.
It was later realised he was among those who perished in the plane accident.
Speakers condoled with the family and praised the deceased as a hardworking and humble father.
“The crash robbed me of a great, industrious, ambitious, humble and hardworking friend and father of my children. I was really heartbroken by the news of his death. May he rest in peace,” said the wife Mrs Magdalene Wanjiru amid tears.
She went on: “We had big dreams together but now l am lost on how to go about them. Nevertheless all is well with my soul; let your soul rest in the hands of our God.’’
Overwhelmed men, women and children and friends sobbed uncontrollably during the emotional send-off with many fainting as their grief proved too much to bear shortly after clergymen–finished the final rites at the gravesite.
It also emerged yesterday that he had posted on WhatsApp group indicating that he had been ‘born again.’
“In a WhatsApp group on April 30,2018, you concluded by these words…it is my joy to report to you in deep conviction and prayers …yesterday l gave my life to Christ Jesus marking a new beginning with a new destiny…,” read part of a tribute from a cousin.
Mr Kinyua is survived by one wife and three children aged nine 9 months, four and nine years respectively.
