- Six people were killed after a plane crashed and burst into flames in Mosop, Nandi County, on Saturday evening
- Believed to be among the dead is Emurwa Dikkir MP Johana Ng’eno, whose phone and SIM card were recovered at the scene
- Police confirmed the accident; four other victims were yet to be identified at the time of this publication
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Six people are reported dead after an aircraft tumbled in Mosop, Nandi County, on Saturday evening, February 28.
Source: Twitter
The aircraft burst into flames, killing all six passengers on board.
Feared to be among the fatalities is a sitting MP.
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Nandi County police commander Samuel Mukuusi confirmed the accident.
Which MP died in Nandi chopper crash
Reports indicate the MP in question is Johana Ng’eno, who has represented the Emurwa Dikir constituency since 2013.
The sources at the scene further confirmed that a mobile phone and SIM card belonging to Ng’eno were recovered.
Similar devices belonging to Amos Kipngetich Rotich of the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) were also found.
The remaining four individuals have not been identified as of yet.
The ill-fated chopper is reported to have made an emergency landing due to poor weather conditions, then resumed its journey only to crash a few meters away.
Before the crash, Ng’eno and his team had flown over the Mara River to support a search and rescue operation that was attempting to recover the bodies of two young men whose vehicle had been swept away by the river’s powerful currents last Sunday.
Thereafter, he left for Endebes, Trans Nzoia, for a traditional wedding ceremony.
The helicopter sustained severe damage after colliding with three large trees. The bodies were yet to be removed from the scene at the time of this publication.
Nandi senator Samson Cherargei called for a swift response by the police to clear the scene.
“I want to appeal to our people, let us avoid interfering with the scene where the wreckage is. We hope the police can finish the processing of the scene so that we can remove the bodies because of the rain and mud, at least by 9 pm,” Cherargei said.
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The crash occurred close to two years after another in Elgeyo Marakwet, killing the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Chopper crash that killed KDF’s General Francis Ogolla
On April 18, 2024, a Bell Huey helicopter (reg KAF 1501) came down in the Sindar area, killing CDF Francis Ogolla alongside other military personnel.
A probe undertaken by a team constituted by the Ministry of Defence later established that the aircraft experienced an engine failure just before crashing, according to a probe report.
To dispel claims that the aircraft was an outdated aircraft, the Ministry of Defence’s Board of Enquiry confirmed it had no prior mechanical issues and had recently flown eminent persons.
The report further noted the chopper underwent routine maintenance and checks, with a qualified crew on board during every flight.
Investigators concluded that the crash in Elgeyo Marakwet was caused by an engine malfunction midair, which the pilots were unable to manage.
What caused chopper accident that killed General Francis Ogolla?
A total of 12 witnesses, including three on the ground and two survivors, provided accounts that shaped the findings.
The probe revealed the helicopter suffered an engine compressor stall triggered by airflow instability, which weakened the engine and led to total failure.
Weather and communication issues were ruled out, as conditions were favourable and the crew maintained contact with relevant stations.
Ogolla perished alongside Brigadier Swale Saidi, Colonel Duncan Keittany, Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe, Major George Benson Magondu, Captain Sora Mohamed, Captain Hillary Litali, Senior Sergeant John Kinyua Mureithi, Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi, and Sergeant Rose Nyawira.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
