KERICHO, Kenya —The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has confirmed that all four people aboard its helicopter survived a crash at Kericho Golf Club on Monday, October 12, as investigations begin to establish what caused the aircraft to go down during take-off.
In a statement issued on Monday, the agency said the incident involved its helicopter, registration number 5Y-FSK, which crashed at Kericho Club in Kericho County in the morning.
KFS said the four occupants comprised one pilot and three passengers, adding that all were safe and accounted for following the incident.
“Kenya Forest Service wishes to inform the public of an incident involving its helicopter 5Y-FSK, which occurred on the morning of October 12, 2026, at Kericho Club,” the agency said.
The service added that the crash site had been secured and that investigations would commence to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The area has been secured and investigations will commence to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident,” KFS said.
The agency did not identify the occupants or specify whether any had sustained injuries.
The official account followed conflicting early reports about the number of people aboard the aircraft and their condition.
Some media outlets initially reported that five or six people were aboard the helicopter, with reports indicating that several occupants had sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for medical assessment.
Environment Principal Secretary Festus K. Ng’eno was also reported to have been among the passengers. However, KFS’s statement confirmed the number of occupants but did not publicly identify them.
Photographs from the scene showed the green-and-white helicopter lying on a grassy field, with its tail section separated from the main fuselage. Emergency responders and security personnel were reported to have attended the scene.
The precise cause of the crash remains unknown. Although some early reports pointed to heavy rainfall in the area as a possible factor, authorities have not confirmed that weather conditions contributed to the incident.
Investigators will need to examine the aircraft, its maintenance records, flight information and prevailing weather conditions before determining what led to the crash.
The crash comes amid renewed attention to aviation safety following a series of fatal aircraft accidents in Kenya in 2026.
On February 28, a helicopter operated by Youth Aviation Limited crashed in the Chepkiep area of Mosop, Nandi County, killing all six people aboard, including Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno.
A preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department in March described the aircraft’s encounter with thick fog, drizzle and extremely poor visibility shortly before the crash.
The helicopter, an Airbus AS350 B3 registered as 5Y-DSB, was destroyed in the accident. The investigation remained ongoing, according to the report.
In a separate accident in April 2024, a Kenya Defence Forces helicopter crashed in Sindar Village, Elgeyo Marakwet County, killing then Chief of the Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla and nine other military personnel.
A report presented to President William Ruto in April 2025 concluded that an engine malfunction caused the military helicopter crash.
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The two fatal accidents involved different aircraft and circumstances. Their findings do not establish the cause of the Kericho incident, which will require its own investigation.
Helicopter accidents can involve several factors, including mechanical problems, adverse weather, operational decisions and pilot-related factors. These are possible risk categories, not established explanations for the Kericho crash.
The KFS helicopter’s loss of altitude during take-off, the extent of the damage and the condition of its occupants are among the details likely to be examined as investigators reconstruct the incident.
For now, the agency’s statement confirms that all four occupants survived and that the scene has been secured.
Further information is expected as the investigation progresses and authorities establish what caused the aircraft to crash at Kericho Golf Club.
