Kenya investigates crash that killed 10 Military Officers

By Guardian Reporter , The Guardian

Published at 03:22 PM Apr 19 2024

Photo: Tony Karumba, AFP

Kenya's defence chief General Francis Omondi Ogolla (C) gestures as Britain's King Charles III (unseen) and Kenyan President William Ruto (unseen) arrive at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior during a wreath-laying ceremony at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on Oct

Kenya's government has sent a team to probe a helicopter crash that claimed the life of military chief Gen Francis Ogolla and nine others.

The incident occurred shortly after takeoff in the country's northwest, with Gen Ogolla among the 12 occupants.

The deceased were flown to Nairobi, while two survivors receive medical attention. President William Ruto declares three days of national mourning, lamenting the loss as a "moment of great sadness."

Gen Ogolla, appointed Chief of Defence Forces in April last year, is hailed as a dedicated officer who served his country with valor.

The crash victims include high-ranking military personnel, with Brig Swale Saidi, Col Duncan Keittany, and others among the casualties.

The African Union Commission expresses condolences to Kenya, as the officers were on a mission to address banditry in the North Rift region.

This tragedy echoes a similar incident in June 2021, where 10 soldiers perished in a helicopter crash near Nairobi.