Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) on Tuesday announced that its surveillance helicopter crashed in Boni Forest, Lamu County on Monday night during a routine patrol.
In a statement, KDF identified the plane that crashed as a Huey Helicopter but did not reveal the number of soldiers on board when it crashed.
KDF has mounted a recovery and evacuation exercise as investigations on the crash commence. This is the second crash this year, even as experts query the airworthiness of Kenya's military aircraft.
"A Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter was crushed last night while on night patrol in Lamu County. The crew and other military personnel onboard were part of an air surveillance squadron intensifying day and night patrols and surveillance for the ongoing Operation Amani Boni," KDF stated.
KDF noted in the statement a board of inquiry has been constituted and dispatched to the scene to establish the cause of the crush.
The Huey helicopter is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter.
It is the first member of the Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helicopter in service with the United States military.
It has a crew of three and can carry up to 14 passengers. The Huey helicopter is known for its versatility and reliability, and has been used in a wide range of military and civilian roles.
The Huey helicopter was first introduced in the early 1960s and quickly became a mainstay of the US military.
It was used extensively in the Vietnam War, where it was used for troop transport, medical evacuation, and fire support. The Huey helicopter also played a major role in the Gulf War and the Iraq War.
In addition to its military use, the Huey helicopter is also used in a variety of civilian roles, including firefighting, search and rescue, and law enforcement.
In Kenya, it is mostly used to transport military personnel, including special operations and surveillance.
On Thursday, July 20, another Kenya Defence Forces helicopter crashed but the military 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.
