KDF Plane Crashes With Passengers on Board

KDF Chopper Crash
Wreckage of KDF Chopper that crashed in Baringo County on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
Photo
Kenya Defence Forces

A Kenya Airforce plane, with passengers on board, has crashed minutes after lift-off in the Rift Valley region. 

In a statement issued on Thursday, July 20, Kenya Defence Forces confirmed that the crew and all passengers on board survived. 

The passengers were on their way to Nairobi from an official duty when the chopper developed mechanical challenges and crashed. 

It was reported that the military chopper, identified as a Fennec Helicopter, did not take long in the air after lift-off. 

A Kenya Air Force Soldier flies a jet.
A Kenya Air Force Soldier flies a jet.
Photo
KDF

"This evening, a Kenya Air Force, Fennec helicopter, while taking off from Chemlingot stadium en route to Nairobi, hit a tree and crashed," KDF stated. 

The Kenya Defence Forces also assured the public that their crew would recover fully since those involved in the accident were receiving adequate medical attention. 

"All passengers disembarked safely and are in stable condition," KDF confirmed in a statement.

The investigations will review complex and time-consuming processes carried out by various organizations, including government agencies, aircraft manufacturers, and insurance companies.

Oftentimes, an air crash investigation aims to determine the cause of the accident and make recommendations to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.

KDF will seek to establish if the crash was a result of human error, which is the most common cause of air crashes. It can include pilot errors, crew coordination errors, and passenger interference.

Investigators will also try to establish if the accident was occasioned by mechanical failure, which can include problems with the aircraft's engines, systems, or structure.

On Thursday, June 24, 2021, ten Kenya Air Force personnel died while 13 others sustained injuries after their aircraft crash-landed in Oltepesi, Kajiado West.
 

Former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Retired General Robert Kibochi, inspects a guard of honour mounted by Kenya Air Force (KAF) officers at Moi Air Base (MAB) during his transitional visit on May 3, 2023.
Former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Retired General Robert Kibochi, inspects a guard of honour mounted by Kenya Air Force (KAF) officers at Moi Air Base (MAB) during his transitional visit on May 3, 2023.
Photo
KDF
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