A helicopter operated by the Kenya Air Force crashed at the Chemlingot stadium in Baringo County on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
In a statement to newsrooms, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said the Nairobi-bound Fennec helicopter hit a tree and crashed while taking off on Thursday evening.
KDF confirmed that all passengers disembarked safely and are in stable condition.
“This evening, a Kenya Air Force, Fennec helicopter, while taking off from Chemlingot stadium en route to Nairobi, hit a tree and crashed. All passengers disembarked safely and are in stable condition,” KDF said.
— Kenya Defence Forces (@kdfinfo) July 20, 2023
In June 2021, a military chopper crashed during a training exercise at Oltepesi in Kajiado West, claiming several lives.
In a statement then, KDF spokesperson Zipporah Kioko said all passengers aboard the Mi-171E helicopter were accounted for and that the injured had been airlifted to the Defence Forces Memorial Hospital, Nairobi.
“Regrettably, following the crash, we suffered fatalities. The process of communicating with the families to relay the information and KDF condolences are underway. The entire KDF thanks the locals and all the first responders for their assistance during the rescue,” Kioko said.
