Agence France-Presse (AFP), a French international news company and a global fack checker on Wednesday clarified a trending image of a helicopter that is claimed to have killed former Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Francis Ogolla.
According to AFP, social media users mistook a Russian military chopper for another identical aircraft that crashed while carrying military officers in the Sindar area of Elgeyo Marakwet.
In the misinterpreted video, a military chopper could be seen airborne and continuously making rounds within a specific area before flying away.
A scrutiny by the France news agency revealed the alleged mistaken chopper belonged to the Russian military, Russian Ka-52 attack.
According to the report, the video of the mistaken aircraft was first uploaded on social media two weeks before the death of CDF Ogolla.
It was first uploaded on Instagram by a user on March 31, 2024, with a caption reading: “Russian Air Force Ka-52 Alligator firing unguided rockets in the ballistic trajectory, somewhere in Ukraine.”
The video was also posted on TikTok on April 18, 2024, and has been shared more than 3,300 times on the social media platform.
The scrutiny revealed that the exact chopper that crashed in the Sindar area of Elgeyo Marakwet and that killed the CDF was a Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopter.
Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopter is a multi-functional aircraft used for various purposes including troop transport, as well as search and rescue.
CDF, General Francis Ogolla's death was first announced by President William Ruto on April 18, with the Head of State noting the chopper crashed with 11 passengers on board 9 of whom died alongside the General.
“Today at 2.20 pm our nation suffered a tragic air accident Sindar area, Keben location in Elgeyo Marakwet county. I am deeply saddened to announce the passing on of General Francis Omondi Ogolla,” Ruto announced.
According to Ruto, Ogolla boarded the Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter and travelled to the North Regions to assess schools affected by banditry.
