Kenyan officials say four Americans and their Kenyan pilot were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
The helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from a remote island in Lake Turkana. The Lake is in a national park in northwest Kenya.
The police statement indicated that “two helicopters had landed earlier at Labolo tented Camp on the National Park’s Island, however one managed to clear the area safely.”
It said that “cause of the incident is yet to be established and the details of the deceased will be released once the next of kin have been notified.”
The pilot was named by local media as Captain Mario Magonga.
Rescuers however were only able to found the wreckage of the helicopter on Monday morning.
The cause of the incident is yet to be established and the details of the deceased will be released once the next of kin have been notified.
The National Police Service extends it’s condolences to the families and friends of the bereaved. 3/3
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) March 4, 2019
Gilbert Kibe, director general of the KCAA, said in a statement that “Shortly after take-off, unfortunately one of the helicopters, a Bell 505, registration 5YKDL, lost contact and crashed on the island.”
A few weeks ago three Americans were among five others who died in a plane crash in western Kenya.
A relative of the Kenyan pilot, Richard Onyonka who is also MP for the area told Kenya’s NTV that Magonga “was one of the best helicopter pilots that money could buy.”
Mr Onyonka says Magonga was cleared to fly other several high profile guests in the past. Those guests include former US President Barack Obama.
TURKANA CRASH: Police say Captain Magonga died with 4 Americans after their chopper came down at Labolo in Central Island National Park at 8pm. pic.twitter.com/WApjMutD8q
— NationBreakingNews (@NationBreaking) March 4, 2019
Source: Africafeeds.com
