Chopper recovered from Lake Nakuru, 2 bodies still missing

The wreckage of a helicopter that crashed into Lake Nakuru last month was recovered on November 19, 2017. Police and military choppers lifted it from the lake. PHOTO | JOSEPH OPENDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The search for two bodies and the missing helicopter parts will continue on Monday, focussing on areas around where the helicopter wreckage was discovered.

Families of two victims of the October 21 chopper crash in Lake Nakuru broke down as the wreckage of the helicopter was pulled out of the water by a police chopper on Sunday afternoon.

It was an emotional scene as hopes by families of Mr John Mapozi and Mr Sam Gitau, who have been waiting for the last 30 days, were dashed upon discovering that the bodies were not in the wreckage of the chopper as they had hoped.

BODIES MISSING

At 3.20 pm, the chopper was pulled out in an operation that took two days after the location of the chopper was discovered in the lake.

The recovery operation was handled by a multi-agency team involving divers from the Kenya Navy, experts from the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Ministry of Fisheries.

It had been anticipated that the bodies would be found strapped in the wreckage.

Screams from heartbroken family members and friends rent the air upon realising that the wreckage was just an empty shell.

RETRIEVED

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambo oversaw Sunday’s recovery mission.

He said the retrieval was conducted by the Kenya Navy, because the process was delicate and specialised government agencies had to be involved.

“I am happy to inform you that the search team successfully managed to lift the part of the aircraft from the lake side,” said Mr Musiambo.

The accident claimed the lives of five people.

The bodies of pilot Apollo Malowa and Mr Anthony Kipyegon were recovered two days after the crash, while Ms Veronicah Muthoni's body was recovered last Friday afternoon.

The wreckage of a helicopter that crashed into Lake Nakuru last month was recovered on November 19, 2017. Police and military choppers lifted it from the lake. PHOTO | JOSEPH OPENDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

INVESTIGATIONS

Mr Musiambo confirmed that the multi-agency team involved in the recovery mission had not found the remains of the two victims. He said the team would carry on with the search on Monday, focussing on areas around where the helicopter wreckage was discovered.

“We will try to check at the point where the chopper was discovered and also along the direction where it was towed to the shore of the lake,” he said.

In a briefing after the wreckage was retrieved from the lake, the regional boss said the team had also not found the tail boom of the chopper, which, according to him, is a key component required by the aviation department in their investigations.

The wreckage was later loaded onto a truck, and, according to the director of the National Disaster Operations Centre Colonel Rtd Charles Owino, was taken to Nairobi for investigations into the cause of the accident.

The probe will be carried out by the Air Craft Accidents Investigations Unit.

OPERATION CONTINUES

The officers, however, assured the public that the search team would not stop their operations until all the bodies and the chopper parts are retrieved.

Sunday was the 30th day since the helicopter crashed into the lake.

Three of the victims were part of Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika’s communication team.

On Sunday, the senator expressed concern over the duration of time the operation has taken. She urged the team to continue with the mission until all the bodies are retrieved.

Ms Kihika also urged the victims’ families to remain patient as the government carries on with the search.

The head of the multi-agency carrying out the recovery mission said they intend to maintain the teams involved in the operation until it is concluded.