KDF Chopper Crashes During Night Patrol In Lamu

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has revealed that one of its choppers crashed on Monday night, September 18 at Boni Forest in Lamu County.

In a statement to newsrooms, KDF revealed that the Huey Helicopter carried a crew and military personnel onboard who were carrying air surveillance over the vast forest.

"A Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter crashed 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," read the statement in part.

Huey Helicopter that is mostly used by military personnel during special operations, including KDF. /PHOTO

The leadership and the entire KDF fraternity condoled with the families of the crew who were affected by the chopper crash.

"A Board of Inquiry has been constituted and dispatched to the scene to establish the cause of the crash," added the statement.

As a result of the crash, an unknown number of Kenyan military personnel were killed.

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 prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helicopter in service with the United States military. In Kenya, it is mostly used to transport military personnel, including special operations.

On Thursday, July 20, a Kenya Air Force chopper crashed while taking off on its way to Nairobi from the Rift Valley region.

The helicopter, a Eurocopter Fennec, crashed after hitting a tree while taking off from Chemlingot Stadium.

All the passengers on board the chopper as well as the crew however survived. They were on their way to Nairobi from an official duty when the chopper developed mechanical challenges and crashed. 

Reports indicated that the chopper was carrying officials who were part of the entourage accompanying Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale on a security tour of the volatile region.

Kenya Air Force chopper that crashed after take off at Chemlingot Stadium on Thursday, July 20, 2023. /SETH OLALE