10 soldiers die, 13 hurt as KDF chopper crash lands in Kajiado

Kajiado KDF chopper crash

KDF personnel cordon off the scene of the military helicopter crash in Oltepesi, Kajiado West on June 24, 2021. Ten Kenya Air Force soldiers died in the crash. PHOTO | VINCENT ACHUKA | NMG

Photo credit: Vincent Achuka | Nation Median Group

Ten Kenya Air Force personnel have died while 13 others sustained injuries after the military aircraft they were in crash landed in Oltepesi, Kajiado West, during training.

According to a statement signed by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Spokesperson Zipporah Kioko, the Mi 171E helicopter crash landed around 9am on Thursday.

KDF chopper crashes in Kajiado, goes up in flames

Col Kioko added that those who were injured were taken to the Defence Forces Memorial Hospital in Nairobi. Bodies of the 10 soldiers who died in the crash have been moved to Nairobi.

She said aircraft accident investigators had arrived at the scene to establish the cause of the crash.

Kajiado West Deputy County Commissioner Muranga Morakwa said that KDF has been training in the area for a long time.

Prior to the crash, the helicopter circled in the air for over 20 minutes as those on board scrambled to jump out.

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