A five-member team has been appointed to conduct an inquiry into Kenya’s Chopper crash that killed Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, his assistant Orwa Ojode, alongside two pilots and two bodyguards.
The team includes former Kenya Armed Force Commander Major General Harold Tangai, Charles Mutinda, George McOwenga and Faith Irari. The team will be led by Appeal Judge Kalpana Rawal.
Transport Minister Amos Kimunya, while making the announcement on Monday evening, said the team will act as a platform for all stakeholders engage in discussion on how to avert similar tragic crashes in future.
Meanwhile, the United States has expressed willingness to help in the investigation into the helicopter crash.
US ambassador to Kenya Scott Gration told local media that his country would come in “if requested to do so” by Kenyan authorities.
“I have asked my people to lean forward, but we are not going to push. The Kenyan government has to request because we are guests in this country,” he said.
Maj-Gen (Rtd) Gration was speaking of the Sunday’s crash saying the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) would be ready to help.
NTSB is the US agency that mainly investigates air crash disasters.
EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT
“I watched the helicopter, it looked like it was burning while up in the air, a few minutes later we heard a loud bang and we rushed to the scene to find the wreckage and the bodies,” said Elijah Mucheru, who was among the first people at the scene.
Julius Mochai, another witness, said they tried in vain to put out the fire. “The problem started while it was up in the air, I could see smoke from it even before it crashed.
“After the crash, we tried to put out the fire using soil but after every few minutes an explosion would occur and people would run away for safety, making it difficult to put it out,” said Mochai.
The explosions are suspected to have been from a bodyguard’s pistol recovered at the scene. Prof Saitoti and Ojodeh were flying to Nyarongi Catholic Church in Ndhiwa District in South Nyanza for a harambee (fundraising).
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