Details have surfaced on what reportedly caused the Kajiado KDF plane crash that occurred on Thursday, June 24.
10 military officers died and 13 were injured after the Mi-171E Air Force chopper crashed and burst into flames at Ol Tepesi area in Ngong, Kajiado County.
Sources within the military alleged that the accident was caused by poor vision and dust which affected visibility. The Captain, a female pilot, was reported to have experienced disorientation and loss of situational awareness.
This caused a brown-out, an in-flight visibility restriction, which affected landing thus crashing the plane.
Eyewitnesses added that prior to the plane attempting to land, it had been spotted zigzagging over Oltinka shopping centre and also hovered above the ground before it crashed.
A number of soldiers who survived scrambled to disembark using the thick rope that was lowered to the ground. The scramble reportedly went on for over 20 minutes before the plane tumbled and burst into flames.
The soldiers who had survived found it hard to rescue those trapped in the plane as it had burst into flames. The weapons in the plane alongside ammunition carried by the soldiers further exploded.
"I witnessed death first-hand. We aided some of the survivors to the main road before they were ferried to private hospitals in Kiserian town," an eyewitness told the Nation.
A motorist who ferried a number of them to the hospital added that the soldiers were critically injured and in pain.
Kenyans.co.ke spoke with a family member of one KDF officer who lost his life in the plane crash. The officer was an engineer and a military analyst.
"My uncle perished in the crash. He was among the trainers and a distinguished military servant. We are praying for peace for our family and the rest of KDF officers too," the kin eulogised.
The plane was reduced to ashes save its broken propellers and a section of the engine.
