LAMU, Kenya December 17 -At least ten people were seriously injured on Sunday after the aircraft they were travelling in crashed and caught fire in Kiunga, Lamu County.
The ten included two pilots, seven army officers and one police officer and were on board a Cesna208, registration number 5Y-GOK.
Lamu East Deputy County Commissioner George Kubai said the chopper flew to Kiunga area along the border of Kenya and Somalia last week to pick up students from Kibaoni who had excelled in the KCPE examinations for a trip to Nairobi.
“Fortunately, all the ten people onboard escaped with injuries. They were treated at Kiunga Hospital before being evacuated to Nairobi,” Kubai said
The ill-fated aircraft flew the students back safely on Sunday.
As the plane was ascending from the Kiunga airstrip, it hit electricity poles and crashed, bursting into flames and burning beyond recognition.
The aircraft landed on a palm tree-filled thicket and the wreckage scattered all over the scene, affecting a significant portion of the area it landed on.
The injured were taken to a nearby hospital as investigations got underway to establish the cause of the accident.
The cause of the crash was not immediately established but investigations have been launched.
There have been a number of such crashes in the last few months.
On November 20, a KDF chopper which was distributing relief food also crashed during take-off in Buna town, Wajir County.
Several people including the pilots and teachers who were on board sustained injuries.
The Mi17 Kenya Air Force chopper was badly damaged after it dropped to the ground as the pilot tried to lift off.
The incident captured on a 31-second clip showed the chopper ascending before suddenly crashing right in front of a crowd that had gathered around it.
The same day, another crash happened at the Wajir airport injuring three. The cause of the crash of the chopper whose registration was 5Y-SDL was not immediately established. Images from the scene showed the chopper badly damaged.
The victims included a pilot and two officials who were escorting examination materials from Wajir to Arbajahan in the same area.
In another incident on November 9, two KDF pilots were admitted to hospital after their chopper crashed in the Kisamis area, Kajiado West. The Airforce Fennec helicopter hit a power cable as it flew to Nairobi.
Another Fennec chopper crashed in Chemolingot stadium in Baringo county in July this year.
The chopper was carrying officials who were part of the entourage accompanying Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on a security tour of the volatile region.
The chopper crashed during take-off but all persons onboard including government officials escaped unhurt.
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