List of KDF officers involved in military chopper crash.
Several officers were killed when a chopper belonging to the Kenya Defence Force crashed on Thursday afternoon.
Their helicopter went down in the Tot division, Sindar area, Kaben location, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Among the KDF personnel killed in the horrific tragedy was General Francis Ogolla, the Chief of Defence Forces.
Brig Swaleh Saidi, Col Duncan Keitany, Lt Col David Sawe, Major George Benson Magondu (who was also the pilot), Capt Sorah Mohamed, Capt Hillary Litali, Senior Sergeant John Kinywa Mureithi, Sergent Cliffonce Omondi, and Sergent Rose Nyawira are the other nine officers who have departed from this life.
President William Ruto declared a three-day national mourning period beginning on Friday, April 19, 2024, in response to Ogolla’s passing.
The Kenyan flag, the flag of the Kenya Defence Forces, the flag of the East African Community, and the flags of all military units will fly at half mast in Kenya and at Kenyan embassies overseas, he declared.
“The nation will observe a period of three days of mourning commencing tomorrow, the 19th of April, 2024, in honor of the life and the distinguished military career of the fallen General, who lost his life not just while in office but in active military duty,” the President declared during a televised address to the nation at State House, Nairobi.
According to Ruto, Ogolla departed Nairobi early on Thursday morning after boarding a Kenya Air Force Huey helicopter.
He stated that the CDF was traveling to assess the current school restoration projects in five schools as well as to visit troops stationed in the North Rift as part of Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
As stated by the President, Ogolla was assigned to visit Chesitet Primary School, Ksaa Primary School, Sablimoi Primary School, Cheptulel Boys High School, and Chepoton Primary School.
“As part of his working tour, the CDF had been briefed on the security situation by a multi-agency team stationed at Chesitetin Baringo County, after which he proceeded to the Kainuk Forward Operating Base in Turkana County, where he addressed troops, commending them for their resilience and operational successes,” Ruto stated.
Ogolla had just moved to Chesegon, West Pokot County, with his entourage, shortly before the crash, to begin the restoration of Cheptulel Boys High School.
However, the plane crashed soon after it took off for the Recruits Training School in Uasin Gishu County, where he was supposed to inspect the facility’s construction facilities.
According to Ruto, an air accident investigation team was formed and sent by the Kenya Air Force to determine the cause of the incident.
List of KDF officers involved in military chopper crash.
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