By:Betty Luke
Seven people were killed in an helicopter crash near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu county on Wednesday. PHOTO/Courtesy
Authorities have moved to DNA testing to establish the identities of seven people killed in the Mt Ololokwe helicopter crash after recovery teams retrieved all the remains from the wreckage.
Samburu County Police boss David Nkoroi said some of the victims could not be identified visually because their bodies were severely affected by the crash and subsequent fire.
Samples have been collected and transported to Nairobi for forensic analysis, with the victims’ remains currently being preserved at Lee Funeral Home as the identification process gets underway.
The recovery mission was completed on Thursday after a multi-agency team reached the crash site on Mt Ololokwe retrieving three bodies that had remained inside the wreckage.
Nkoroi said the scene had been handed over to aircraft accident investigators, who are expected to conduct a detailed examination of the wreckage and other evidence that could shed light on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Investigators are also expected to establish whether the helicopter’s black box can be recovered as it could provide important flight and cockpit information to help reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments.
The helicopter went down on Wednesday while carrying six foreign tourists and a Kenyan pilot Josh Outram.The group had travelled from Suiyan in Laikipia County’s Loisaba Conservancy towards Mt Ololokwe, a prominent attraction in the Samburu landscape.
The tourists were reportedly taking photographs and recording their experience before the aircraft crashed.Among the deceased was Ecuadorian intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi, who was travelling with his wife, Stephany Hollihan Yeaza.
The other foreign nationals identified in reports were Roger Edward Duarte, José Alberto Suárez, Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra.
Witnesses said the helicopter had made several movements around the mountain before coming down near an area frequently visited by tourists.
Mt Ololokwe, located within the wider Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy area, attracts visitors for its panoramic views and sunrise and sunset experiences. The wider Samburu region is also known for its exclusive safari destinations.
