- Police helicopter carrying Elgeyo Marakwet landslide victims nearly crash-landed during takeoff
- The chopper had earlier ferried Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen during his visit to the disaster site
- No casualties were reported, but the mechanical failure has raised safety concerns amid ongoing rescue efforts
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
There was panic in Elgeyo Marakwet after a police helicopter ferrying landslide survivors suffered a mechanical failure while attempting to take off.
Source: Facebook
According to a video circulating on social media, the white helicopter, marked with police stripes and registration number 5Y-SFA, was seen lifting off before suddenly losing balance and hitting the ground violently on its wheels.
Witnesses said the chopper appeared to struggle for momentum before descending roughly, sparking fear among onlookers.
The aircraft had reportedly been deployed to rescue victims of a fresh landslide in the Kibendo area of Keiyo North, where a rockfall claimed two lives and left three others injured.
Did the police helicopter transport Kipchumba Murkomen?
The same helicopter had earlier transported Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to the region when he toured the site of an earlier landslide that left more than 20 people dead.
In photos shared on Murkomen’s social media pages, the CS was seen alighting from the same helicopter alongside other officials, as victims were airlifted from the disaster area to hospitals for treatment.
No injuries were reported in the latest incident, though it has raised safety concerns about continued rescue operations in the rugged terrain, which has been hit by heavy rainfall and multiple landslides over the past week.
Elgeyo Marakwet landslides claim more lives
TUKO.co.ke previously reported that the death toll from the Elgeyo Marakwet landslides had risen to 30, with several people still missing as rescue teams battled harsh weather in the Kerio Valley region.
The latest incident occurred on the night of Sunday, October 2, when a rockfall in Kibendo, Keiyo North, killed two people and injured three others.
Murkomen confirmed the deaths, warning that heavy rains continued to endanger communities along unstable slopes.
Murkomen sent condolences to the affected families and commended security officers, administrators, the Kenya Red Cross, and the county government for their quick response to the tragedy.
He urged residents in landslide-prone zones to stay alert and move to safer areas, adding that chiefs and assistant chiefs had been instructed to relocate those at risk. Acting County Commissioner Julius Maiyo said local officers and villagers worked through the night to rescue those trapped in the debris.
Four more bodies were later recovered in the Chesongoch area, bringing the number of fatalities to 30. Rescuers said 21 people remained unaccounted for, while 26 injured victims were airlifted to nearby hospitals.
Source: Facebook
How Murkomen survived 2024 Baringo chopper crash
In March 2024, Murkomen and then Kenya Airports Authority chairman Caleb Kositany were involved in a helicopter crash in the Mwachon area of Eldama Ravine, Baringo County.
The two were leaving a funeral at Torongo when their chopper, which had four people on board, developed mechanical problems and crashed while attempting to take off.
Following the incident, another helicopter was dispatched to pick up Murkomen and his team, allowing them to proceed to their next scheduled event in Migori.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
