Tragedy as Teacher is Killed by Chopper Propeller in Garissa

A teacher examining the ongoing national examinations died after being hit by a helicopter propeller in a village in Ijara, Garissa County.

The incident happened Tuesday morning. Police said the examiner who is a deputy head teacher at Masalani died on the spot after being hit in the head by the propeller of the chopper registration number 5Y-HNB.

Officials said he was hit by the rear propeller of the chopper as he disembarked.

This is because he did not realize the rear propeller was running and the pilot had not warned the officials to approach the chopper from the front side as opposed to the rear one.

He was one of the officials on board the chopper. Normally, the rear propeller is not visible to laymen when a chopper is on and is always advisable to approach the chopper from the front side, said one official.

The propeller was damaged and plucked off out of the impact of the incident. The examiner’s materials lay next to the body with blood caked around his head after the tragedy.

Police were called to the scene and proceeded it to the mortuary pending an investigation. Officials said there were plans to airlift the materials using a different chopper.

The area is affected by among others heavy rains that have rendered most roads impassable and insecurity. Kenya National Examination Council has organized dozens of choppers to help in airlifting the materials and officials from place to the other.

On Monday, another chopper that was on a similar mission crashed at the Wajir international airport. The incident left three people with serious wounds. They are stable in hospital.

The incidents are under probe.