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The air accidents investigation department is still probing Sunday's incident, where a helicopter that had a flown of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga from Kisumu to Gem in Siaya county crashed minutes after dropping him and his entourage.
Pulse Live has learnt from credible sources that the 5Y PSM Bell 407 helicopter is operated by Penial Air and owned by veteran politician and Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina.
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Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina's helicopter lands at Warazo Jet in Nyeri where he commissioned a wooden bridge on March 12, 2017
A brand new Bell 407 helicopter costs about Sh300 million and can fly at a speed of over 260 kilometers per hour at an altitude of 5,000 370 meters.
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It has a six seater capacity and is commonly used for VIP transport. It is known to be the fastest single engine helicopter in Kenya.
The operator’s website indicates that the Bell 407 chopper was the only of its kind among its fleet which includes a Bell 206 ,Cessna Caravans and Boeing 737s.
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Nyeri senator Ephraim Maina's helicopter
According to a police report filed after the incident, the helicopter crashed moments after being airborne, only 5 meters above the ground.
There were no fatalities but preliminary reports indicate that the helicopter was written off after the accident.
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Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina
Taita Taveta crash
Barely two days after the helicopter crash in Gem, another light aircraft, a Cessna C172 Caravan Reg No. 5Y CFE killed two people after crashing into Vuria Hill in Taita Taveta County.
The Monday, May 31 accident is said to have happened at 7:30pm. The fatal accident may have been caused by poor visibility caused by thick fog in the air.
Some reports indicate that the plane was travelling from Arusha, Tanzania, while The Standard reported that the aircraft had flown from Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
With a height of 2,228 meters above sea level, Vuria Hill is the highest hill in the Coast region.
A Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) aircraft crashed into the hills on March30,2018, severely injuring both pilots on board.
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The aircraft that was reported to have crashed at Vuria Hill in Taita Taveta County on May 31, 2021