Kenya helicopter crash latest in growing list of air accidents

Following two recent crashes of police helicopters in Kenya and several fixed-wing light aircraft accidents, it was a helicopter which went down yesterday in Wajir county, leading to the total destruc

Following two recent crashes of police helicopters in Kenya and several fixed-wing light aircraft accidents, it was a helicopter which went down yesterday in Wajir county, leading to the total destruction of the craft.

The helicopter was an armed forces aircraft, and while air force planes are not subject to the direct oversight of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, or so it is understood, the series of air accidents in recent months alarmed Kenyans and raised questions about air worthiness of planes, their maintenance, and pilot training alike, and also about what sort of equipment Kenya has purchased, proving to be so accident prone.


In a related development, one of the Likoni ferries staledl again yesterday morning, stranding pedestrians and motorists alike who were trying to get across this perennial traffic bottle-neck between the island of Mombasa and the southern mainland.

In both incidents, there was a series of comments received about infrastructure and procurements in Kenya. The loss of three government-owned helicopters in the last couple of weeks and the all too regular breakdowns of ferries has been cited as one of the great challenges of present day Kenya, prompting calls for remedial measures to be taken to improve aviation safety and maritime safety alike.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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