Kenya’s military chief among 10 people killed in helicopter crash | News

Air drive sends an investigative staff to ascertain reason for crash that killed Basic Francis Ogolla.

Kenya’s army chief has died in a helicopter crash within the nation’s northwest, President William Ruto says.

Basic Francis Ogolla and 9 different individuals had been killed within the crash at 2:20 pm (11:20 GMT) on Thursday in Elgeyo Marakwet County, about 400km (250 miles) northwest of the capital, Nairobi.

The army plane had been on a go to to troops deployed in northwest Kenya to fight cattle rustling and got here down simply minutes after taking off close to Cheptulel Boys Secondary Faculty in West Pokot County.

It was not instantly clear what induced the crash.

“Our motherland has misplaced one in all her most valiant generals,” Ruto mentioned at a information convention. “The demise of Basic Ogolla is a painful loss to me.”

Two troopers survived the crash and had been in hospital, the president mentioned, including that an air investigation staff had been despatched to seek out out the reason for the incident.

Ogolla was beforehand the pinnacle of the Kenyan air drive earlier than rising to deputy army chief after which being promoted by Ruto final yr to move the army.

The final joined the army in 1984 and skilled as a fighter pilot with United States air drive and as an teacher pilot on the Kenyan air drive, in keeping with a Ministry of Defence profile.

When selling Ogolla to the highest army job a yr in the past, Ruto accused him of being a part of a plot to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election however mentioned he was one of the best certified individual for the job.

Dozens of civilians and law enforcement officials have been killed within the unrest in northwestern Kenya.

No less than 10 troopers had been killed in June 2021 when their helicopter crashed whereas touchdown close to Nairobi.