Military chief and senior officers perish in helicopter crash in Kenya

RIFT VALLEY: Kenya’s military chief General Francis Omondi Ogolla, and nine other senior military personnel perished when a military helicopter crashed in a remote area near the Ugandan border with Kenya on Thursday.

Kenyan President William Ruto confirmed the news and declared three days of mourning. The president revealed that the officials were visiting troops engaged in the operations in Kenya’s northern region at the time of the crash.

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The crash claimed the lives of nine other military officials, while two people miraculously survived. The survivors are currently undergoing treatment in a local hospital.

The military chief was a highly decorated officer having served as the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces (CDF) for just over a year. He is four-star general in a career spanning four decades.

He is also a trained fighter pilot and commanded the Kenyan Air Force before being chosen by the Kenyan president to lead the country’s military in 2023.

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The crash occurred amidst concerns about the safety and maintenance of Kenya’s military aircraft and equipment. As per reports, this was the fifth military helicopter crash in less than a year.

Kenyan authorities are currently investigating the cause of the crash