Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno is among five people who sustained injuries after a Kenya Forest Service (KFS) helicopter crashed during take-off at Kericho Golf Club on Monday afternoon. The aircraft, registration number 5Y-FSK, reportedly went down amid heavy rains in the area, leaving the helicopter badly damaged. Authorities confirmed that no fatalities had been reported in the initial assessment as emergency teams responded to the scene.
Highlights
- Environment PS Festus Ng’eno was among five occupants injured in the helicopter crash.
- The Kenya Forest Service aircraft crashed during take-off at Kericho Golf Club.
- Kericho County Police Commander Kivindu Kilonzo said no deaths had been reported.
- The injured were taken to South Rift Hospital for medical attention.
- Investigations are expected to establish the circumstances that led to the crash.
Main Story
Festus Ng’eno Among Five Injured in Kericho Helicopter Crash
Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno was among five people injured after a Kenya Forest Service helicopter crashed at Kericho Golf Club in Kericho County on Monday afternoon.
The helicopter, bearing registration number 5Y-FSK, reportedly crashed while attempting to take off from the golf club grounds near Famous Hotel.
The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall in the area, although authorities had not established whether the weather conditions contributed to the accident.
Kericho County Police Commander Kivindu Kilonzo confirmed that several occupants had sustained injuries, adding that no fatalities had been reported during the initial assessment.
Witnesses Describe Moments Before the Crash
According to accounts from witnesses at the scene, the helicopter had barely gained altitude before it lost height and came crashing down shortly after take-off.
The aircraft sustained extensive damage, with photographs from the scene showing the wreckage scattered across a grassy field. The tail section was reportedly separated from the main body of the helicopter.
Emergency responders moved quickly to rescue those trapped in or around the wreckage before transporting the injured to South Rift Hospital for treatment.
The occupants were reported to be in stable condition following the incident, according to the initial police assessment.
Emergency Teams Respond as Investigations Begin
Police officers, emergency personnel and security teams were deployed to the scene to assess the damage and establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Authorities are expected to investigate the events leading up to the incident, including the aircraft’s condition and the weather conditions at the time of take-off.
The cause of the crash had not been determined by the time of publication, and further details were expected as investigations progressed.
Previous Aviation Accidents Raise Safety Concerns
The Kericho incident comes amid wider concerns about aviation safety following other helicopter accidents reported in Kenya.
In August 2026, a helicopter crash near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County reportedly killed all seven people on board. The aircraft was carrying passengers, including prominent international figures, when it struck a rock formation and caught fire.
While the circumstances surrounding the two incidents have not been established as related, the Kericho crash is likely to draw further attention to aircraft safety, operational procedures and the challenges of flying in difficult weather conditions.
For now, attention remains on the recovery of those injured in Kericho and the investigation into what caused the helicopter to go down.
As investigators work to establish what caused the Kericho helicopter crash, the immediate priority remains the recovery of the injured and ensuring that the circumstances surrounding the incident are fully understood.
