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A deputy head teacher lost his life after being hit by a helicopter blade on Tuesday morning, November 21 at Masalani in Ijara Sub County, Garissa County.
Garissa County Commissioner, Solomon Chesut, confirmed the incident and conveyed, "There was an incident where a teacher died on the spot after being hit by the propellers of a helicopter. We have started investigations to know what he was doing close to a helicopter that was taking off."
The deceased was involved in the distribution of KCSE examination papers.
Witnesses at the scene recounted that the teacher, in haste, was attempting to board the aircraft when he tragically collided with the helicopter’s tail rotor.
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Deputy headteacher killed in chopper incident during distribution of KCSE exams in Garissa
The deployment of helicopters for the distribution of examination materials has become a necessity in many parts of Garissa due to ongoing road blockades, rendering the roads impassable.
On Tuesday, November 20, Wajir County witnessed two aviation incidents that cast a shadow over emergency evacuation efforts in flood-stricken areas.
The day unfolded with a helicopter crash at Wajir International Airport at 11:00a.m. involving Arbajahan Ward MCA Abey Jimaale, Captain Kiroken, and James Ndirangu.
The helicopter, en route to Arbajahan for the urgent evacuation of students in flood-affected regions, crashed during takeoff.
Preliminary reports from the scene said Captain Kiroken and MCA Abey Jimaale were injured on their heads, while James Ndirangu suffered injuries to his shoulder and right hand.
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Two choppers involved in accidents in Wajir on November 20, 2023
Swift emergency response saw the trio rushed to Wajir County Referral Hospital for immediate treatment.
Despite initial medical attention, the severity of their injuries prompted a referral to Nairobi for further medical care.
The Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), and local police officers visited the crash site.
They documented the incident before cordoning off the area for air accident investigators.
As the community grappled with the aftermath of the helicopter crash, another aviation tragedy unfolded later in the day.
At approximately 5:00 p.m., a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) plane crashed during takeoff in the same county.
The plane, engaged in transporting essential supplies including food and medicine to residents of Buna in Wajir North, crashed as residents watched.
This brings the total number of helicopter crashes involving KDF helicopters in 2023 to four.
Past KDF chopper crashes in Kenya in 2023
- On July 20, a Kenya Defence Forces helicopter crashed in Baringo County. The passengers were on their way to Nairobi from an official duty when the chopper developed mechanical challenges and crashed. The military confirmed that the crew and all passengers on board survived
- On September 18, a Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter crashed on night patrol in Lamu County. At least eight Kenya Defence Forces personnel were suspected to have died in the crash.
- On November 17, a military chopper crashed during a training exercise in Oltepesi, Kajiado West. The Mi-171E helicopter was carrying 23 occupants, and 10 of them were feared dead, while 13 were rescued and taken to the hospital.