NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 – Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno is among five people who survived a Kenya Forest Service (KFS) helicopter crash at Kericho Golf Club, with the pilot sustaining injuries in the incident.
The helicopter crashed while taking off at the golf club in Kericho County on Monday, prompting an emergency response that saw the injured pilot taken for medical attention.
Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft, registration number 5Y-FSK, was carrying five occupants when the accident occurred. Ng’eno and the other passengers survived the crash.
“I am safe, i am not hurt,” PS Ngeno told Capital FM.
The helicopter is an Airbus Helicopters H125, also known as the AS350B3e Ecureuil, operated by the Kenya Forest Service.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear, with investigations expected to establish what caused the aircraft to go down during take-off.
It was not immediately established whether mechanical problems, weather conditions or other factors contributed to the accident.
Further details on the pilot’s condition and the extent of the damage to the helicopter were not immediately available.
The incident is expected to prompt investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash and the safety of the aircraft’s operations.
