NANDI COUNTY, Kenya — A helicopter crashed and burst into flames in Chepkiep, Mosop Sub-County, Nandi County, on Saturday, February 28, 2026, killing all six people on board, authorities confirmed.
Preliminary reports indicate the Airbus H125 aircraft attempted an emergency landing before catching fire.
Emergency responders, including local police and rescue teams, were deployed promptly to the scene. The identities of those on board are yet to be confirmed.
Residents in the area reported seeing smoke rising shortly after the aircraft went down.
Footage circulating on social media shows the wreckage engulfed in flames, although these images have not been independently verified. Some residents rushed to the scene to assist in rescuing any possible survivors.
According to aviation data, the helicopter, registered 5Y-DSB, is owned by a company based at Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
Flightradar24 records indicate the aircraft departed Nairobi at 11:02 am on Saturday, February 28, but its landing time at the intended destination is unclear.
The plane has been in service for several high-profile flights. It was used by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on September 15, 2025, and reportedly ferried the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on April 1, 2022, during the burial of Jackson Kibor.
During that ceremony, the aircraft sustained damage to its windscreen after stones were thrown at it amid chaos, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Additional flight records indicate the helicopter made two other trips in February 2026, including on February 21 and February 22, with departures and destinations partially unrecorded.
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Kenya has seen several aviation incidents in recent years, particularly involving light aircraft and helicopters operating in rural areas. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) are mandated to investigate such incidents to determine probable cause.
Police confirmed that the bodies recovered have yet to be identified. Reports online suggest that prominent figures may have been on board, although authorities have not verified this.
The helicopter crash comes amid heightened concerns over aviation safety in the country, particularly for private and chartered flights.
Officials are expected to release a detailed statement once rescue operations are complete and preliminary investigations are conducted.
