The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Johana Ng’eno, the Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr, is among six people who lost their lives after a helicopter they were travelling in crashed and caught fire near Chepkieb Forest in Mosop, Nandi County, on Saturday evening.
The aircraft is reported to have gone down at around 4:45pm shortly after attempting to lift off from a temporary landing spot near the forest. Witnesses attributed the incident to reduced visibility brought about by persistent rainfall in the area.
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Residents say the helicopter had earlier carried out a precautionary landing at about 4pm as weather conditions worsened. During the brief stop, the pilot allegedly spoke with herders nearby while evaluating whether it was safe to proceed.
Moments later, the chopper reportedly took off again but failed to gain significant altitude. It is said to have struck trees just a short distance from the clearing at the forest’s edge before crashing.
One witness who arrived soon after the incident described the collision as immediate and followed by flames, stating that the aircraft ignited almost instantly upon impact.
All six occupants, including the pilot, are believed to have died at the scene. The helicopter had reportedly been transporting five passengers from Endebess before the fatal crash.
As night fell, wreckage remained scattered along the forest boundary, with twisted metal and burnt debris marking the site of the disaster.
Nandi County Police Commander Samuel Mukuusi confirmed the crash and said investigations had commenced, though the identities of the victims had not yet been officially released.
Initial reports indicate that identification documents belonging to an official linked to the Kenya Forest Service were recovered at the scene. However, authorities have not confirmed whether the individual was among those on board.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have since visited the area and launched a probe into what may have caused the accident.
By Saturday night, recovery of the bodies had not been completed as security personnel cordoned off the scene to allow investigators to conduct a thorough examination. Officials are expected to provide further information once families have been notified and preliminary findings are available.
