New tools sought to help search Nakuru copter crash victims

The government has announced procurement of more sophisticated machines to boost the search for bodies of three victims of the October 21 Lake Nakuru helicopter crash.

The equipment which include a side scan sonar, a multi-beam echo sound and a marine magnetometer are expected at Lake Nakuru National Park next week.

The revelations were made Thursday after a closed-door meeting attended by families of the victims, officials from the national disaster management, Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Wildlife Service, the county commissioner and Nakuru County government.

Hopes by families of the three victims to bury their remains were renewed after the team promised not to call off the search until the bodies are located.

Governor Lee Kinyanjui chaired the meeting which lasted for about four hours at the county government offices.

SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT

Speaking after the meeting, the governor said the national government, through the Ministry of Interior is in the process of procuring superior equipment to boost what is presently being used in the recovery mission.

Addressing a joint press briefing attended by all the stakeholders involved in the search, the governor noted that the new equipment will boost the capacity of the search team.

“In efforts to enrich the capacity of the search team, the national government is in the process of procuring superior marine search equipment which should arrive in the course of next week,” said the governor.

However, it was observed at the meeting that the search is facing serious challenges which threaten to frustrate the divers’ efforts.

According to the governor, the search team had cited difficulties locating the exact position of the chopper’s wreckage, the large search area of 54Km square, poor visibility inside the lake, danger from hippos, heavy rains, submerged logs, lack of enough resources and poor technology.

He also noted that the county government has only been able to provide minimal resources to the operations as it is yet to receive any funds from the national government.

MISSING

The three victims whose remains are yet to be found are Mr Sam Gitau, Mr John Mapozi and Ms Veronicah Muthoni.

The bodies of Mr Anthony Kipyegon and the pilot of the ill-fated chopper, Mr Appolo Malowa, were recovered on October 23 and have since been buried.

National Disaster Operation Centre Desk Officer Jonathan Kertich who has been overseeing the search said there has been no more recoveries apart from the documents and cloths belonging to Mr Mapozi.

In his statement Thursday, the officer said the search will go on despite the frustrations experienced in recent days.

He revealed that the search team has in the last 27 days exhausted the northern side of the lake and will now be shifting towards the southern part.

EYEWITNESSES

“We have zeroed in [on] the moist likely areas as indicated by eyewitnesses who claimed that the chopper had plunged into the lake on those points. We will therefore be moving to the southern side to see if the wreckage will be found,” said Mr Kertich.

Molo MP Francis Kimani Kuria welcomed the move by the national government saying there is need to speed up the retrieval of the bodies so as to end the families’ agony.

The MP further noted that the investigations into the cause of accident need to be conducted as the issue of air safety is not only a concern to the county and the families but also to the entire world.

“Air safety is said to be the safest means of transport across the globe so this becomes a big concern to all the authorities,” said Mr Kuria.

Kenya Red Cross officials pledged to continue offering counselling and first aid support to family members and friends at the recovery site until the mission is completed.