Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno was among five people injured after a Kenya Forest Service (KFS) helicopter crashed during take-off at Kericho Golf Club on Monday.
The helicopter, registration number 5Y-FSK, reportedly crashed at the golf club grounds near Famous Hotel in Kericho County, leaving the aircraft severely damaged.
Kericho County Police Commander Kivindu Kilonzo confirmed that several occupants sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital in stable condition.
No fatalities had been reported at the time of the initial police assessment.
Images from the scene showed the wreckage lying on a grassy field, with the helicopter’s tail section appearing to have broken off from the main fuselage, underscoring the severity of the crash.
Emergency responders and security personnel were dispatched to the scene as authorities began assessing the incident and establishing the circumstances that led to the crash.
The cause of the accident had not been established by the time of publication. Investigations are expected to determine what went wrong during take-off.
The incident adds to a series of aviation accidents reported in Kenya in recent months, including two fatal crashes that claimed nine lives.
In August 2026, seven people died when a helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County. The aircraft, which was carrying tourists, reportedly struck a rock formation near the mountain’s summit before bursting into flames.
A month later, a light training aircraft operated by the Kenya School of Flying crashed in the Kipeto area of Kajiado West Sub-County, killing a student pilot and a flight instructor. Initial reports cited poor visibility caused by heavy morning mist as a possible contributing factor.
The Kericho incident is likely to draw further attention to aviation safety, particularly the circumstances surrounding aircraft operations and the need to establish the causes of accidents through formal investigations.
Authorities were expected to provide further details on the condition of the injured occupants and the circumstances surrounding the crash as investigations progressed.
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