KDF Chopper On Training Flight Crashes Killing Two Soldiers

Two Kenya Army soldiers died on Monday morning after their chopper crashed in Masinga, Kitui County. The crash has been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence who said that the chopper was flying for training purposes.

“This was a training flight. Onboard were two pilots who have been evacuated from the crash site,” read the statement from the ministry.

The chopper crashed at around 10 am. The Ministry is yet to state the cause of the accident. Bodies of the two soldiers have since been evacuated from the scene.

“It was established that a Helicopter Reg AU003-539 Army and belonging to Kenya Army crashed at around 1100hrs in a farm in the village and approximately 15kms North West of the station. It had two souls on board (senior military officers of the rank of Major) both of whom died on the spot. SCPC and SCCIO Masinga at the scene while CPC and CCIO on the way to the scene,” read a report filed at Kithyoko Police station.

The chopper is among six US-made light attack helicopter gunships that the Kenya Army Aviation acquired in January this year.

They were part of an initial order of 12 light attack and reconnaissance helicopters meant to enhance the firepower of the Kenya Defence Forces in the wake of sustained attacks by Al-Shabaab militants.