- The officers were surveying the area ahead of the planned deployment of more troops to battle cattle rustlers in the area.
- The area was cordoned off soon after the accident.
Image: PCS
A Kenya Defence Force’s helicopter crashed on Thursday afternoon leaving several officers dead.
The chopper they were flying in crashed at Sindar area, Kaben location, Tot division, in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla was among the KDF officials who lost their lives in the tragic accident.
Other nine officers who passed away include 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.
Following Ogolla's death, President William Ruto announced a three-day national mourning period starting Friday, April 19, 2024.
He said during the period, the Kenyan flag and that of the Kenya Defence Forces, the East African Community and flags of all formations of the military shall fly at half mast in Kenya and Kenyan missions abroad.
"In honour 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 nation will observe a period of three days of mourning commencing tomorrow the 19th of April, 2024," the President said in a televised address to the nation at State House, Nairobi.
Ruto said Ogolla boarded the Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter and left Nairobi Thursday morning.
He said the CDF was on a trip to visit troops deployed in the North Rift under Operation Maliza Uhalifu and to inspect the ongoing school renovation works in five schools.
The President said Ogolla was to inspect Chesitet Primary School, Cheptulel Boys High School, Chepoton Primary School, Ksaa Primary School and Sablimoi 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 said.
Shortly before the crash, Ogolla and his entourage had just left Kainuk to Chesegon, West Pokot County, where he launched the rehabilitation of Cheptulel Boys High School.
But shortly after take-off from Chesegon for the Recruits Training School in Uasin Gishu County where he was scheduled to inspect construction facilities at the institution, the aircraft crashed.
Ruto said Kenya Air Force constituted and dispatched an air investigations team to establish the cause of the air crash.