Copter lands in farm causing panic

By JOB WERU

Kirinyaga,Kenya:Fear gripped Kibirigwi village along Kirinyaga-Nyeri border after a Kenya Wildlife Service helicopter made an emergency landing.

The chopper landed in a farm due to bad weather that characterises Mt Kenya region.

It was a second chopper that was making an emergency landing in two days due to mist that has engulfed the region.

Residents thought the chopper had developed mechanical problems when it started circling the area as the pilot prepared to land in one of the farms.

The chopper, a Eurocopter registration numbers 5Y KWW, was headed to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia County from Nairobi.

Its pilot, Major (Rtd) Alex Koech, said he was ferrying staff participating in an elephant translocation exercise.

“I left Nairobi’s Wilson Airport when the weather was okay, but on reaching Karatina, visibility was poor due to the foggy environment,” said Koech, who waited for two hours before flying.

Mathira OCPD Rashid Mohammed said he was not aware of the second incident. However, residents of Mathaithi said the plane, which was ferrying a commissioner in one of the constitutional commissions landed Sunday, shortly after 2pm, and it was not until around 5pm when it flew away.