Government orders probe into fatal Helicopter Crash that Claimed life Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has ordered a full investigation into the helicopter crash that killed six people in Mosop, Nandi County, on Saturday. In a press statement issued after the tragedy, Chirchir said the government had moved swiftly to establish the cause of the accident that claimed the life of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno and five others. “The Ministry of Roads and Transport regretfully announces a tragic air incident involving a helicopter crash that occurred at Mosop, Nandi County,” Chirchir said. He confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID), under the State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development, had been dispatched to the crash site and had already begun investigations. “My Ministry, through the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department, has been on the crash site since yesterday and has initiated investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident,” he said. Chirchir outlined the helicopter’s flight path earlier in the day, saying the Eurocopter H125, registered 5Y-DSB, had taken off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi shortly after 11 am and made several stops around the Rift Valley before it crashed late in the afternoon. It last disappeared from radar shortly after departing a landing site in Tabolwa at around 4:26 pm. Chirchir noted that the probe will be conducted in line with international aviation standards set under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. He said Kenya has formally notified the State of Manufacture and Design of the aircraft, as required under global aviation rules. “In line with International Civil Aviation Organisation Annex 13, AAID has notified the State of Manufacture and Design of the aircraft, and a preliminary report will be issued within 30 days,” he said. The Cabinet Secretary assured the public that the investigation will be thorough and independent, to establish the exact cause of the crash and recommend safety measures. “As the Minister in charge of the State Department of Transport, I wish to assure the public of the Government’s commitment to air transport safety and request the patience of the public as we await the reports from the investigators,” Chirchir said. He also conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims, saying the country had lost dedicated leaders and professionals in the accident. Reports Authorities said poor weather, including heavy rain and reduced visibility, forced the aircraft to briefly land before it attempted another take-off. Witnesses described the helicopter struggling to gain altitude and hitting trees before bursting into flames in thick vegetation at the edge of a forest. Police and forensic teams continue to secure the site as investigators collect flight data, cockpit recordings, wreckage and other critical evidence. The flight data recorder has reportedly been recovered, a key step toward pinpointing what led to the crash. Meanwhile, the bodies of the six victims were transported to Nairobi for formal identification and preservation as relatives make burial arrangements. Officials at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital said the remains were badly damaged, delaying immediate viewing by family members.