According to police reports, a military helicopter in Kenya, transporting high-ranking officials including the defence chief, crashed on Thursday, resulting in fatalities. President William Ruto promptly convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council in response to the incident, which took place in Elgeyo Marakwet County, approximately 400 kilometres northwest of Nairobi.
Among those tragically lost was General Francis Omondi Ogolla, the Chief of the Defence Forces, who was aboard the helicopter alongside several other senior commanders.
Their mission pertained to security matters, given the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces soldiers in the region.
President Ruto confirmed that General Ogolla and nine other senior military officers lost their lives in the crash, with only two survivors.
General Ogolla, aged 61, took on the position of Chief of the Defence Forces in April of last year. His qualifications were praised by President Ruto, despite their previous political differences. Ogolla has a background as a trained fighter pilot and had a distinguished career in the Kenya Defence Forces, where he eventually led the Kenyan Air Force. President Ruto expressed his sorrow over the tragic accident and mourned the loss of General Ogolla and the other victims, highlighting the nation’s grief.