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CS Murkomen gazettes team to probe increasing aircraft mishaps

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. (Photo: X/Kipchumba Murkomen)

By Mary Wambui | Saturday, April 20, 2024

The latest incident killed Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla and nine other soldiers.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has gazetted a seven-member Aircraft Accident Investigation Team to survey all air mishaps that have taken place in Kenya for the last three years.

The move follows increased air mishaps in the country, the latest being a helicopter crash on Thursday, which killed Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla and nine other soldiers.

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The team is made up of Captain Peter Maranga (chair), Captain Nduati Herman Njama, Rtd Lt Colonel Mike Mulwa, Ephantus Kamau, Captain Valentine Wendoh, Captain Martin Lunami, and Brenda Mwango, acting as the joint secretary.

It has three months to complete the task and present a report to the CS, including recommendations for preventing the recurrence of incidents.

They will also review all preliminary accident reports for accidents involving Kenya-registered and/or- operated aircraft presented by South Sudan and Somalia for the last five years·

The team will further investigate any other matters relating to, or consequential to, the accidents and give advice on their prevention and how to improve aviation safety in Kenya.

In the last 12 months, the military has lost at least five aircraft in crashes that are being probed by the Kenya Defence Forces.

Civilian aircraft have not been spared, as several accidents have occurred in recent weeks.

Last month, a chopper carrying Murkomen and Kenya Airports Authority (KPA) Chairman Caleb Kositany crashed during take-off in the Mwachon area of Eldama Ravine, Baringo County. Details of the incident, which did not result in any casualties, remain scanty.

Days before, a Safari-link-owned de Havilland Canada DHC-8-300 aircraft (5Y-SLK), heading from the Nairobi Wilson Airport to Ukunda in Diani, was involved in a mid-air collision with a Cessna 172 Skyhawk (5Y-NNJ).

A pilot and his trainee - occupants of the Cessna operated by the 99 Flying Club crashed in Nairobi National Park - both died.

All 39 passengers and crew of five in the Safari-link plane were taken back to Wilson with no injuries.